Would China learn from British experience, allow other countries to live in peace?

By NS Venkataraman*
Several decades back, China aggressively entered Tibet, over powered the Tibetans who resisted China’s aggression and mercilessly massacred large number of Tibetans. Today, China is sitting pretty with full control over Tibet region and is hiding Tibet with an “iron curtain” from the eyes of the world. Outside China and probably within China, most people do not know what is really happening in Tibet at present.
After the onslaught on Tibet, with no worthwhile protest from other countries about China’s act of aggression, China appears to have convinced itself that it can have its way to satisfy its territorial greed by occupying other regions at its will.
China claims that Taiwan should be part of China, though there is no justification for this. Taiwan emerged as separate region after a civil war in China, and if China claims that Taiwan should belong to it, then Taiwan too can have equal claim that China should belong to it.
On several occasions, China has threatened to invade Taiwan to acquire it. However, unlike in the case of Tibet when China’s aggression over Tibet virtually went unchallenged, Taiwan region has the support of Western countries. This has prevented China from militarily operating against Taiwan, even as China’s territorial greed persists.
South China Sea is an area where China claims its sovereignty and is rejecting the claims of other countries including Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan. China-Philippines tensions are now rising around a flash point in the South China Sea, due to China’s aggressive posture.
There is territorial dispute regarding the Senkaku Islands between Japan China and Taiwan. It is now claimed by China that Senkaku Islands belong to China and there is considerable tension in the region due to China’s claim and aggressive postures. China is not ready to discuss the issue and arrive at amicable solution.

Occupation of Indian territory:

China launched a war against India in the year 1962 and is now holding thousands of hectares of Indian territory as its own, which was occupied by China during the war. Frequently, China is creating issues in the border with India and skirmishes between Chinese and Indian soldiers are becoming frequent.
China now claims that Arunachal Pradesh in India should belong to China and is doing everything to stress it’s claim, short of going for full fledged war with India.
Recently, China has released a fourth list of thirty new names of various places in Arunachal Pradesh, amid China’s stepped up assertions in recent weeks to re emphasise its claim over the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Chinese Civil Affairs Ministry released the first list of the standardised names of six places in “Zangnan” ( Name given by China for Arunachal PPrades) in 2017. The second list of 15 places was issued in 2021, followed by another list with names for 11 places in 2023.
Naming of places in India’s Arunachal Pradesh by China indicate the height of arrogance of the Chinese government and its confidence that it can do anything against other countries and get away with it.
Obviously, the unquenched territorial greed of China makes it behave with such aggressive postures against other countries.

Stranglehold over Pakistan:

By tempting and persuading Pakistan to implement the economic corridor project, China has extended huge loan to Pakistan to implement such projects, even as China knows that Pakistan would never be able to repay the loan and accrued interest in the foreseeable future. Thus, Pakistan has now become highly dependent on China and is indebted to it.
In the process, China has taken control of Gwadar port in Pakistan and is creating access to transport material from Gwadar port to China.
Obviously, China will never let go its vice like grip over Pakistan in future.

Take over Hambantota port in Sri Lanka:

Like what China has done in Pakistan, it has extended huge loan to Sri Lanka and implemented projects in Sri Lanka, which has benefited Chinese industries and economy of China, more than that of Sri Lanka.
With Sri Lanka facing a debt trap, China has taken over Hambantota port on 99 year lease from Sri Lanka in lieu of the loan that Sri Lanka has availed from China.
99 year lease is a very long period and the ground reality is that China will never give up its vice like grip over Hambantota port, which area ultimately may become an extended territory of China for all practical purposes.

What could be the ultimate limit of China’s greed?

It is generally said that the greed has no limits as such. The ultimate limit of greed would happen, when the level of greed would make an individual or a group or a country to over reach in satisfying the unquenched greed. Such scenario would cause huge resistance from the people in the affected regions, creating an insurmountable problem for the entity with the unquenched greed.
British empire, which expanded the territory under its control in different continents for several centuries, has lost all such territories and remain as one of many nations in the world now. Its past glory is now a matter of distant memory. China should derive the right lessons from the experience of British empire and China should allow other countries to live in peace.
---
*Trustee, Nandini Voice For The Deprived, Chennai

Comments

Former civil servants raise alarm over conflict of interest in Supreme Court's forest advisory panel

By A Representative In a strongly worded open letter to the Chief Justice of India, 60 retired senior civil servants from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other central services have raised serious concerns over what they term a “conflict of interest” in the current composition of the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC), tasked with advising the Court in forest and environmental matters. The signatories, all part of the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), expressed grave apprehension that the CEC—now comprising entirely of recently retired officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC)—may lack impartiality in ongoing litigation, particularly those challenging the Forest Conservation Amendment Act (FCAA), 2023.

Prof. Vidyut Joshi: Gujarat’s knowledge institutions have lost their soul, urgent reorientation needed

By A Representative In a thought-provoking column published in Sandesh , eminent sociologist and former Vice-Chancellor Prof. Vidyut Joshi has raised urgent concerns over the erosion of intellectual autonomy and social relevance in Gujarat’s leading research and academic institutions. Building on insights from the recent paper Secret of Creating High Performing Knowledge Institutions by development economist Prof. Tushaar Shah, Joshi paints a stark picture of institutions that have strayed far from their foundational vision.

Remembering Vasant and Rajab: The forgotten martyrs who died to protect India’s soul from communal hatred

By Hidayat Parmar How much do we truly know about the real history of Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s royal city? July 1st marks a date that shines a light on two of its noblest sons—Vasant and Rajab—whose legacy lives on as a powerful reminder of secular unity and fearless sacrifice.

Top civil rights leader announces plan to lead delegation to Pakistan amidst post-war tensions

By A Representative In a significant move, well-known academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey has announced the plan to send a 22-member delegation to Pakistan to engage in dialogue with its government and civil society. The delegation proposed to go to Pakistan under the banner of Socialist Party (India) as a fact-finding mission to help seek solution to continuing tensions between the two countries over the fallout of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Global recognition at UNHRC: A breakthrough for communities discriminated on work and descent

By Amit Kumar, Naveen Gautam* In a historic moment for global human rights, the 59th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council opened with a powerful acknowledgment of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD)—groups affected by caste-like systems of exclusion, marginalization, and inherited inequality. This recognition was delivered by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk during his global human rights update, signaling a major shift in international discourse.

Climate action in rural India can go hand in hand with sustainable livelihoods: NGO shows the way

By Bharat Dogra Mobilizing an adequate response to climate change is often seen as an expensive task and then there is a lot of talk about who’ll bear the burden. However in rural areas both climate mitigation and adaptation can be integrated well with the promotion of sustainable rural livelihoods and in such conditions people become very supportive towards it. In such conditions climate response can progress much more smoothly without becoming burdensome.

J&K's Mallabuchan villagers symbolically cut Off pipeline in protest against ‘water injustice’

By A Representative In a striking act of peaceful protest, residents of Mallabuchan village in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district symbolically disconnected the Ahmadpora-Tangmarg water pipeline on Thursday, denouncing decades of official neglect and violation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) norms.

Organic food stakeholders oppose FSSAI's proposed regulatory changes, warn against undermining small farmers, safe food movement

By A Representative Over 130 signatories representing India’s organic farming community have submitted a strongly worded letter to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), objecting to key proposals discussed at a hybrid meeting held by the authority on May 7, 2025. The meeting, convened to review the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations 2017, reportedly considered drastic amendments that stakeholders claim will harm small producers and the broader movement for agroecological food systems.

A healthier model for goat-based livelihoods in remote Madhya Pradesh villages

By Bharat Dogra While buffaloes and cows often receive greater attention in animal husbandry-related government development schemes, goats remain vital for poorer households. Therefore, enhancing goat-based livelihoods is especially important for marginalized communities—particularly when such efforts reduce villagers' costs and lower goat mortality rates. One promising strategy involves training local villagers, especially women, to provide essential veterinary services. A welcome byproduct of this is that several women gain a respected source of income within their own villages.

Search This Blog