Why Chinese mock video is a pack of lies, India has committed no 'sin' in Doklam

In little over a week's time, Chinese media - controlled by either the Communist Party of China or directly managed by the Chinese Government - has accused India of committing "seven sins" at Doklam.

The latest in the series is a "racist" video in poor taste with the actors trying to spread lies about the legality, ground reality and history of Doklam in particular and eastern sector of the border in general.

The seven sins that the China's state controlled media - Xinhua in the present case - talks about are the unfounded allegations against Indian Army. These allegations are:

WHAT ARE THE '7 SINS'?

1. India has trespassed into Chinese sovereign territory and thus broken the international law.
2. India has violated the 1890 Convention between the United Kingdom, which ruled over India then, Tibet and China.
3. India has altered the status quo at the eastern sector in contravention of 2012 understanding between the three countries - India, Bhutan and China.
4. India is bullying Bhutan to act against China. An earlier report by Xinhua accused India of "kidnapping" Bhutan.
5. India seeks to obstruct border negotiation between China and Bhutan.
6. India is keeping its troops at Doklam as an invader.
7. India has broken its own previous commitments given by various governments regarding boundaries in the eastern sector

None of the allegations leveled by the Chinese side stands the test of documentation and history. Chinese claim that India has trespassed into its sovereign territory and broke international law is bogus. Doklam is a disputed territory between Bhutan and China.

China and Bhutan have held 24 rounds of talks over the border disputes including Doklam since late 1990s. If there were no disputes why would China hold such long negotiations with Bhutan, a country which does not have a deterrent army of its own?

China planned to construct a road in a territory in dispute while negotiations were going on with Bhutan. In reality, China broke international law and India tried to uphold the sanctity of the same.

1890 CONVENTION

China has accused India of violating 1890 Convention signed between the United Kingdom, China and Tibet. Interestingly, Tibet did not sign the agreement and Bhutan was not part of the talks.

Britain and China signed the Calcutta Convention in 1890. Of the eight Articles mentioned in the treaty, China has cited Article 1 to stake its claim over Doklam.

Article 1 of the Calcutta convention reads, "The boundary of Sikkim and Tibet shall be the crest of the mountain range separating the waters flowing into the Sikkim Teesta and its affluents from the waters flowing into the Tibetan Mochu and northwards into other rivers of Tibet. The line commences at Mount Gipmochi (Gyemochen), on the Bhutan frontier, and follows the above-mentioned water-parting to the point where it meets Nipal (Nepal) territory."

An earlier India Today report mentions how China has used 1890 treaty claim that Gyemochen is an established tri-boundary under the Sikkim-Tibet Convention. Bhutan and India don't agree. Bhutan was the first to lodge protest against Chinese construction activities at Doklam.

According to India's interpretation of the treaty and delineation of the boundaries, the phrase "crest line" assumes more significance. This is in accordance with the general principle of boundary delineation across the world for the treaties agreed on the basis of 18th and 19th century understanding of maps and cartographic practices.

India asserts that the crest line or the ridge that runs from the border of Nepal ends at a place called Batang La. Bhutan also maintains the same demarcation.

STATUS QUO PACT OF 2012

China has accused India of altering the status quo in Doklam area. This is far from truth as the Indian forces have been patrolling the area for decades while Chinese troops did not enter the area till a few years ago and they never stayed there. Chinese assertion started after 2012 but attempts were never serious earlier.

So, the status quo before the Doklam standoff began was patrolling by Indian troops in coordination with Bhutanese forces. The Ministry of External Affairs has clarified about the status quo understanding between India, Bhutan and China in 2012.

Under 2012 understanding, India and China reached (an) agreement that the tri-junction boundary points between India, China and third countries will be finalized in consultation with the concerned countries."

Pointing to the 2012-agreement, the Ministry of External Affair (MEA) has said, "Any attempt, therefore, to unilaterally determine tri-junction points is in violation of this understanding."

The Doklam standoff began when China tried to build a highway through the area, which is inhabited by Bhutanese shepherds for centuries. INDIA OBSTRUCTS BHUTAN-CHINA BORDER TALKS?

Another accusation by China is that India seeks to obstruct border negotiation between China and Bhutan. This is another lie. The fact that China and Bhutan have held 24 rounds of talks in about 20 years is a proof that India has not interfered with the border negotiation between China and Bhutan.

Till 2007, India-Bhutan friendship agreement made it mandatory for Thimphu to have all foreign relations routed through New Delhi. But, after the 1949-Agreement was reworked, Bhutan is not obliged to take India's advice on foreign affairs.INDIA, A BULLY OR AN INVADER?

China has alleged that India is keeping its troops illegally at Doklam as an invader. But, India has made its position very clear on the issue.

India never claimed that Doklam was its territory. India entered into the picture only after the Bhutanese forces were driven out of the site of standoff at Doklam by the Chinese troops. Bhutan had objected to construction of highway through Doklam.

On the request of the Royal Bhutan Army, the Indian Army sent its troops to stop Chinese troops from altering status quo in order to keep the sanctity of international law (2012 understanding). India is in security arrangement with Bhutan to protect its territory and keep the national interests of the two countries intact.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has made it clear in Parliament that if China pulls back its troops from India will withdraw its forces.

HAS INDIA VIOLATED ITS PREVIOUS COMMITMENTS?

China has alleged that India has, this time, broken the commitments made by the previous governments about the eastern sector borders. Before the controversial video, Chinese officials pulled out a letter from former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to his counterpart Zhou Enlai to lay claim over Doklam.

"On September 26, 1959, Nehru confirmed with Zhou that there was no dispute on the China-Sikkim border," Chinese foreign office spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

"The boundary of Sikkim, a protectorate of India, with the Tibet Region of China was defined in the Anglo- Chinese Convention 1890 and jointly demarcated on the ground in 1895," Shuang quoted from Nehru's letter.

But, in the same letter, Nehru went on to state that the "Chinese maps show sizeable areas of Bhutan as part of Tibet," adding, "The rectification of errors in Chinese maps regarding the boundary of Bhutan with Tibet is therefore a matter which has to be discussed along with the boundary of India with the Tibet region of China in the same sector."

China is well aware of the facts, but as an expansionist power, it aspires to carry out its 'salami slicing' policy in the Himalayas and turn Bhutan into another Tibet.

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