Author:
Publication: The Wall Street Journal
Date: October 30, 2009
URL: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703574604574500863498085246.html
India shows the world how to stand firm with
China.
As President Obama prepares for his trip to
Beijing next month, he'd be wise to cast an eye toward New Delhi, where Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh is showing the rest of the world how to deal with
Beijing when it gets into a bullying mood.
At issue is the Dalai Lama's proposed trip
next month to visit Tibetan Buddhist believers in Arunachal Pradesh, a province
governed by India but claimed by China since the 1962 border war. Chinese
spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu said last week the trip "further exposed the anti-China
and separatist nature of the Dalai clique."
But India stood firm. During a regional summit
over the weekend Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says he "explained to
Premier Wen [Jiabao] that the Dalai Lama is our honored guest; he is a religious
leader." The prime minister went on to imply that the Dalai Lama was
free to travel where he pleased, so long as he did not engage in politics.
This contrasts with Mr. Obama's decision not
to meet with the Dalai Lama earlier this month. His cave-in broke Presidential
precedent and emboldened Beijing to step up anti-Dalai Lama rhetoric, particularly
in-guess where-India, which has hosted Tibet's government-in-exile for more
than 50 years.
Mr. Singh will face further China tests soon,
given the other conflicts with his northern neighbor. China and India still
dispute their 2,200-mile long border, and Indian defense officials say that
Chinese incursions into Indian territory are on the rise. The two also have
disputes over Kashmir and Nepal.
Those irritants are more reason for Mr. Singh
to stand firm on the principles for which India stands-the very same principles
of democracy and freedom that America holds. Therein lies a lesson for Mr.
Obama's China diplomacy as well.
