- It no longer surprises any country around the world when China nonchalantly proceeds ahead with its belligerence, expansionist, and a devil-may-care attitude towards usurping territories without bothering about the international backlash or repercussions. No wonder, the number of disputed territories along the Chinese borders is on the rise leading to acrimony and disturbance in peace and tranquility. As is known, the Chinese aggression in the Eastern Ladakh Galway region compelled the Indian establishment to not only retort in right earnest but also line up military personnel as well as arms and ammunition all along the border.
PC: DNA webteam
- Both sides are holding firmly onto their stated positions as no breakthrough in the military and diplomatic level talks are expected any time soon. In yet another instance as to how the Chinese muzzle free speech and violate human rights with impunity came to the fore with the widely publicized Tennis star Peng Shuai sexual harassment case. In the latest development, the Women’s Tennis Association’s decision to suspend all its tournaments in China over the instant case is a bold response to Beijing’s egregious conduct over the last few years. It leaves no doubts whatsoever that WTA will take a definite financial hit with the decision.
- Nonetheless, with top tennis players from Naomi Osaka to Serena Williams expressing concerns about Peng’s wellbeing, WTC also had to contend with stars who provide women’s tennis the much-needed shine. However, replicating this response, whether from other sporting bodies or even from major countries, is not only tough but also calls for unequivocal gumption. Mind you, given China’s economic muscle power, right from sports bodies like the American NBA to the International Olympic Committee are chary of Beijing. Not only these representative bodies even some of the major economies too are apprehensive.
PC: Srishti Singh Sisodia
- As we are aware, Beijing, by being the world’s second-largest economy and the largest trader, can weaponize economic interdependencies tactfully. As such, look not far than New Delhi taking steps soon after the border misadventure along with the Eastern sector. Banning Chinese apps, blocking the automatic route for Chinese FDI into India, and launching production-linked incentive schemes to make Indian manufacturing competitive hardly disturbed China. Note that between January and September this year, Chinese imports into India grew by 54.64% year-on-year valuing around $42.3 billion. A similar story is playing out around the South China Sea as well despite China’s maritime belligerence affecting Asean nations who reserved no hesitancy in inking the RCEP free trade agreement.
- Why look far, even Taiwanese businesses are unable to fully detach from China despite rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait. The moot point to ponder over here is how to force China to modify its antagonistic behaviour that goes against the tenet of established global order. By building principled alliances, distributing the pain of financial hits, and creating economic alternatives could be some of the workable measures. Make no mistake, none of the mentioned measures is easy and will take enough time to eventually operationalize. Hopefully, China after all is not wholly immune to international pressure as the Peng Shuai case shows.
