Even though the Doklam standoff at the India-China border in Sikkim refuses to die down, China surely has sobered up since coming up with over-the-top statements in the last few weeks. While Beijing and the state media have spoken about everything right from "teaching India a lesson" and entering Kashmir on behalf of Pakistan to supporting "pro-independence appeals in Sikkim," it has now called that the standoff India's "strategic miscalculation."
A commentary on Xinhua now says that China has been very patient in these months, even when Indian troops trespassed into its territory, but India will have to face consequences "if it continues to miscalculate the situation."
Calling out India's "double standard," the commentary said that New Delhi has issues with Beijing constructing roads along the eastern boundary of Doklam, but has no qualms when India builds roads on the western side to help in troop deployment.
The commentary also said that while India says that it does not want to expand it boundaries and has never attacked another country, "the Indian military has trespassed over the mutually recognized boundary that has been abided by both sides for nearly 130 years and its troops remain on Chinese territory."
Reiterating something that China has said since the beginning of the standoff, the commentary said that Beijing is ready to talk to its neighbor and sort the conflict if New Delhi withdraws its troops, but "it would not flinch if a war were to be inflicted upon its people."
"China values peace and the interests of innocent people on both side of the border, that is why it has remained patient in the face of such encroachment."
Beijing, just a few days ago, had said that the ball is in India's court and it must take steps to end the conflict. The statement came amid Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's four-day visit to India.
Beijing seemed to be playing safe on what it says about the India-Nepal diplomatic relations and explained that China is happy to see good relations between the two countries.
"In the 21st century, international relations is not a zero sum game or the counter balancing between countries. China is happy to see the development of sound and healthy relations between Nepal and India," the Press Trust of India quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying as saying.
While Beijing seems much more comfortable with Deuba's India visit, considering Nepal had taken a neutral stance on the Doklam issue, Japan, which had sided with India, is clearly not in China's good books. The nation seems very skeptical over Japanese PM Shinzo Abe's India visit in September.
