India-China Standoff: Chinese Media States 1962 Editorial in Fresh Barb

New Delhi: People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China has referred to an editorial from 1962 to warn India against ‘encroaching’ on its territory. The editorial titled “If This Can Be Tolerated, What Cannot”, that appeared in the year of the India-China war, accused Indian soldiers of firing (unprovoked) at Chinese soldiers across the border on September 21, 1962. The People’s Daily is considered the party’s most influential paper.

The editorial further goes on to allege that India was encroaching on its territory behind the talks that were being held to resolve the issue. The piece warned that there would be Indian casualties if the conflict continues.

While the Chinese media has rarely mentioned the war in all these years, the 1962 editorial is the latest in the sharp commentaries that Chinese media has been publishing off late and, to a certain extent, has echoed what the Chinese government says now.

India’s “aggressive plan to encroach our territory”, the editorial said, was “audacious and delusional”. It said that this attempt put forth the lack of desire on the Indian part to settle the boundary issue.

The editorial claimed that India’s attempt to “encroach” revealed the lack of desire to negotiate a settlement of the boundary issue. “However, the patience of the Chinese government, the Chinese people and the Chinese border guards will not be unlimited,” the PD editorial said.

“In order to protect the border troops in Zero Bridge area of China, in order to restore their contact with the rear, China will have to take necessary precautions…don’t blame us that we didn’t warn you,” it further said.

The edit also said that the McMahon line is completely illegal and has never been recognized by successive Chinese governments. ‘The vast area from south of the McMahon line to the foothills of the Himalayas has historically been China’s territory,” the edit said.

The piece was published in the newspaper amidst the standoff between the Asian giants near the Sikkim border. China has accused India of “trespassing” into Doklam, which is also claimed by Bhutan.