On June 28, 2017, a Global Times article said, “
Indian troops' provocation brings disgrace to themselves. They should be forced to retreat by all necessary means. This time the Indian side needs to be taught the rules. India cannot afford a showdown with China on border issues. It lags far behind China in terms of national strength and the so-called strategic support for it from the US is superficial.
It's not time for India to display arrogance toward China ".
On June 29, 2017, China's Defence spokesman Col Wu Qian rejected as "extremely irresponsible" Army chief General Bipin Rawat's remarks that India is ready for a two-and-a-half front war, asking him to "stop clamouring for war". “"
We hope that the particular person in the Indian Army could learn from historical lessons and stop such clamouring for war,"
On July 5, an editorial in Global Times said, “Jaitley is right that the India of 2017 is different from that of 1962 -
India will suffer greater losses than in 1962 if it incites military conflicts. If New Delhi believes that its military might can be used as leverage in the Donglang area, and it's ready for a two-and-a-half front war, we have to tell India that the Chinese look down on their military power, We firmly believe that the face-off in the Donglang area will end up with the Indian troops in retreat. The Indian military can choose to return to its territory with dignity, or be kicked out of the area by Chinese soldiers. This time, we must teach New Delhi a bitter lesson”
On July 5, Global Times published several opinions from academecians: Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences said, "In 1962, the People's Liberation Army still achieved an overwhelming victory in the military conflict against the Indian army with really poor logistics conditions.
Nowadays, the situation is entirely different from 1962, so we hope India will not do anything irrational for its own good, otherwise it will pay more than in the past,"
On July 6, 2017, an op-ed in Global Times, while
assailing India for its hegemony over tiny Himalayan states and asking the world to take note of Indian bullying, asserted that, “Beijing should reconsider its stance over the Sikkim issue.
Although China recognized India's annexation of Sikkim in 2003, it can readjust its stance on the matter. There are those in Sikkim that cherish its history as a separate state, and they are sensitive to how the outside world views the Sikkim issue.” It also said that China should lead the international community in restoring Bhutan's diplomatic and defense sovereignty.
On July 8, in an article written in Global Times, Long Xingchun, director of the Centre for Indian Studies at China West Normal University said, “For a long time, India has been talking about international equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of others, but it has pursued hegemonic diplomacy in South Asia, seriously violating the UN Charter and undermining the basic norms of international relations.
Through mass immigration to Sikkim, ultimately leading to control of the Sikkim parliament, India annexed Sikkim as one of its states. This incursion reflects that India fears China can quickly separate mainland India from northeast India through military means, dividing India into two pieces. In this case, northeast India might take the opportunity to become independent”
On July 18, 2017, Chinese media once again started their aggression after what seemed to be a small interregnum. A commentary in the hawkish Global Times
accused India of "repeatedly making provocations" since the 1962 war, the latest of which was Donglang, it said. “China must be prepared for future conflicts and confrontation. China can take further countermeasures along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). If India stirs up conflicts in several spots,
it must face the consequence of an all-out confrontation with China along the entire LAC. China doesn't fear going to war to safeguard sovereignty either, and will make itself ready for a long-term confrontation"
On July 19, 2017, Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar told an Indian Parliamentary Panel that China has been unusually aggressive and articulate on the Doka La issue. One member of the panel said, "Jaishankar told us that China's aggression and rhetoric on the recent standoff is unusual but it is not that complicated as it is being projected in some quarters. We will continue to engage with them through diplomatic channels,"
On July 19, Global Times published another op-ed where it said “
India is weaker than China in terms of national strength, but its strategists and politicians have shown no wisdom in preventing India's China policy from being kidnapped by rising nationalism. This will put India's own interests in jeopardy. India should be careful and not let religious nationalism push the two countries into war.”
On July 19, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang, while dismissing any possibility of talks, said, "We have stated many times that we hope the Indian side will get a clear understanding of the situation (and) immediately take measures to withdraw the troops that illegally crossed the border back to the Indian side of the border."
On July 19, Liu Youfa, former Chinese Consul General in Mumbai and now a strategic affairs expert, told state broadcaster China Central Television's English-language channel,
“They [Indian soldiers] can pull out voluntarily. Or, they can be captured. And should the border dispute escalate, they maybe killed. These are the three possibilities.”
On July 21, commenting about Ms. Sushma Swaraj’s speech in Indian Parliament the previous day, a Global Times article said, “
She was lying to the parliament. First, India's invasion of Chinese territory is a plain fact. New Delhi's impetuous action stuns the international community. No other country will support India's aggression. Second, India's military strength is far behind that of China.
If the conflict between China and India escalates to the intensity where their row has to be resolved through military means, India will surely lose. China cannot afford to "lose an inch" of territory. This is the sacred wish and request of the Chinese people. The PLA's mobility and logistics capability cannot be matched by that of its Indian counterpart. PLA troops may appear in any area beyond the line of actual control that was previously controlled by India. The China-India border area may become a stage where China showcases the achievement of its long-term military development and reforms. India should by no means count on support from the US and Japan because their support is illusory.
If India fancies the idea that it has a strategic card to play in the Indian Ocean, it could not be even more naïve. China does hold a lot of cards and can hit India's Achilles' heel, but India has no leverage at all to have a strategic showdown with China.”
On July 24, 2017,
the Chinese Defence Ministry warned India not to harbour any illusions about the Chinese military's ability to defend its territory. "Shaking a mountain is easy but shaking the People's Liberation Army is hard. We strongly urge India to take practical steps+ to correct its mistake, cease provocations, and meet China halfway in jointly safeguarding the border region's peace and tranquility.
I would like to remind the Indian side: Do not push your luck and do not hold any illusion. India should not leave things to luck and not harbour any unrealistic illusions" ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a briefing.
On July 24, an op-ed in
Global Times said, “To such an unruly neighbor, China should reciprocate in a language that India can understand. The famous or infamous India bravado is never backed up by substance in its history with China. If memory is short on the Indian side, perhaps there should be a second lesson. China is embarking on a historic mission to be a peaceful, prosperous and powerful nation as it has been in history. It can't afford to be constantly distracted by border skirmishes with India.”
On July 24, on the eve of NSA Ajit Doval’s trip to Beijing to attend the BRICS National Security Advisor’s meet, Global Times wrote an editorial, “Beijing is firm that India's withdrawal from Chinese territory is a precondition and a basis for any meaningful dialogue between the two sides. The Chinese side will not talk with India on the issue before the Indian troops' unconditional withdrawal from Chinese territory.
New Delhi should give up its illusions . . . Doval will inevitably be disappointed if he attempts to bargain with Beijing over the border disputes . . . New Delhi must give up all its illusions. India's voluntary withdrawal will incur the least cost to it. If Beijing takes countermeasures, New Delhi will be mired in a more passive political and military situation, and face its most serious strategic setback since 1962. China's GDP is five times and its defense budget four times that of India's, but this is not the only source of our strength. Justice is on China's side, and Beijing is righteous and resolute to require New Delhi to unconditionally withdraw its troops.”
On July 31, Global Times published four articles. The third one opined that contrary to India’s hyper nationalistic fervor,
the Chinese are remaining calm over the Doka La issue . The fourth said that unconditional withdrawal was the only way for Indian troops from the standoff. It said, “China will make no concessions over the territorial issue nor will it yield to anyone when it comes to national security. It would be wise for India to pull back its troops as soon as possible, instead of just beating around the bush or bargaining with China in the name of Bhutan. None of these can help solve the problem.”
On August 1, in a one-hour speech in Beijing marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army, President Xi Jinping issued a tough line on national sovereignty Tuesday amid multiple territorial disputes with his country’s neighbors, saying China will never permit the loss of “any piece” of its land to outsiders. “The Chinese people treasure peace and we absolutely do not engage in invasion and expansion. However, we have the confidence to conquer all forms of invasion. We absolutely will not permit any person, any organization, any political party at any time, in any form to separate any piece of Chinese territory from China. No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit of damage to our sovereignty, security and development interests.”.
On August 2, the Chinese Deputy Chief of Mission Liu Jinsong told Indian journalists in New Delhi, “
The troops should be withdrawn immediately, otherwise there will be serious consequences. Even one Indian soldier violating Chinese sovereignty is too many. We cannot bear that for another hour, another day, and they must be pulled out immediately.” When pressed further about consequences, he said, “The Chinese side has made no mention of any military options at present. At the 90 year ceremony for the PLA President Xi said China has many options to guarantee peace, but the military option is the fundamental guarantor of sovereignty.”
On August 3, in a late night press meet, Ren Guoqiang, a spokesperson of the Chinese defence ministry, in a statement called on the Indian side to swiftly address the situation in a proper manner to restore peace and tranquillity in the border region. "Since the incident occurred, China has shown utmost goodwill and sought to communicate with India through diplomatic channels to resolve the incident. Chinese armed forces have also shown a high level of restraint with an eye to the general bilateral relations and the regional peace and stability,
However, goodwill has its principles and restraint has its bottom line. India should give up its illusion of its delaying tactic, as no country should underestimate the Chinese forces' confidence and capability to safeguard peace and their resolve and willpower to defend national sovereignty, security and development interests”
On August 4, Global Times quoted Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, as saying, “
The series of remarks from the Chinese side within a 24-hour period sends a signal to India that there is no way China will tolerate the Indian troops' incursion into Chinese territory for too long. If India refuses to withdraw, China may conduct a small-scale military operation within two weeks. China will inform India's foreign ministry before undertaking any such operation.”
On August 4, China Central Television (CCTV) reported that Tibet military region conducted live fire exercises in recent days in Tibet. "
The exercises are a sign that China could use military means to end the standoff and the chances of doing so are increasing as the Indian side is still saying one thing and doing another," Zhao Gancheng, director of the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times.
Zhao warned India that the patience of China was withering away, and it doesn't want the ongoing faceoff to cast any influence on the forthcoming BRICS Summit.
On August 8, Xinhua published a commentary that said, “
India should underestimate neither China's determination nor its capacity to defend its sovereignty and national interests. India's thinking is, at best, wishful: China will eventually back down. It would be both foolish and dangerous for China to allow India to think that it can keep chipping away at Chinese national interests. But restraint has limits and with every day that passes the tether shortens. China, eventually, will do whatever is required to safeguard its interests. India must dispel all illusions and avoid disastrous consequences."
On August 10, 2017, the Government of Bhutan pointedly refuted a Chinese foreign ministry claim that Bhutan had conveyed through diplomatic channels to China that the trilateral border stand-off area in Doklam in the Sikkim sector is not its territory. Chinese diplomat Wang Wenli, deputy director general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs in China's foreign ministry, had earlier made this stunning claim to Indian journalists. Official sources in the Bhutanese Government said, “Our position on the border issue of Doklam is very clear. Please refer to our statement which has been published on the web site of Bhutan’s foreign ministry on June 29, 2017.”
On August 11, a Chinese military officer was quoted by South China Morning Post as saying, “
The PLA will not seek to fight a ground war with Indian troops early on. Instead it will deploy aircraft and strategic missiles to paralyse Indian mountain divisions stationed in the Himalayas on the border with China. Another military source said that officers and troops from the Western Theatre Command have already been told to prepare for war with India over the Doklam crisis. “There is a voice within the army telling it to fight because it was Indian troops that intruded into Chinese territory in Donglang [Doklam],” Both sources said that China’s military believes any conflict will be controlled, and not spill over into other disputed areas. However, Indian defence experts warned that once the first shot is fired, the conflict may escalate into full-scale war.
On August 13, the staff of China Eastern Airlines misbehaved with several Indian transit passengers at Shanghai Pudong international airport. The matter has been taken up with the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Pudong airport authorities after it was brought to the notice of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj
On August 15,
expat Chinese-Australians in a fleet of supercars, organized by a Sydney-based Australian Chinese automobile club protested in front of the Indian Consulate featuring slogans including: "Borderline is our baseline;" "China: Not even a bit can be left behind;" and, "Anyone who offends China will be killed no matter how far the target is."
On August 17, Xinhua released a racist explainer video “7 Sins of India”— presented in English for a Western audience — that mocks a stereotypical Indian (portrayed by a Chinese actor wearing a fake turban and beard) while painting an aggrieved and one-sided picture of events in the disputed border plateau. It mockingly accuses “thick skinned” New Delhi of trespass, violating convention, not knowing right from wrong, hijacking Bhutan and sticking to its mistakes. “Didn’t your mumma tell you, never break the law?” the female presenter appeals.
On August 18, the Indian MEA spokesperson said that China has stopped sharing hydrological data on the Brahmaputra river.
On August 19, Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said
China cannot be expected to fulfil its obligation when India has no regards for its neighbour`s sovereignty. China will not agree to carry out normal cooperation on hydrological data with India unless it agrees to withdraw troops from Doklam, the Global Times quoted him as saying. The Academy of Social Sciences closely monitors the transboundary water policies of China.