Most of the so-called sinologists have been so used to finding “rational” explanations and justifications for China’s actions that they oust find it difficult to ask themselves whether Peking in fact possesses a viable policy framework. But the more dispassionate among them can no longer avoid this question after the … Read More
The Janata government deserves to be warmly congratulated on the way it has reacted to the Chinese attack on Vietnam. It has demonstrated as conclusively as it possibly could that it is not guided either by expediency or prejudice in such vital matters. Since it has been trying to improve … Read More
Whatever may be said in criticism of Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee’s decision to visit China and its timing, it cannot be denied that he has been appropriately modest in his claims regarding the results. Some of the relevant points in his statement in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday deserve to … Read More
While it is extremely difficult to assess the accuracy or otherwise of rival Chinese and Vietnamese claims, some points can be made even if only tentatively. The Chinese have advanced into Vietnamese territory. But if they had calculated, as they apparently had, that they would be able to withdraw their … Read More
Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee has salvaged the country’s and his own honour by cutting short his visit to China by a day on account of Peking’s deliberate act of aggression on Vietnam. If he had gone through the programme as scheduled, after knowing of the attack, it would have appeared … Read More
There cannot be the slightest doubt that China has been guilty of wanton aggression Vietnam. Nothing that Peking has said in justification of its carefully planned and, indeed, well advertised attack on its small neighbour can detract from this fact. It has accused the Vietnamese of “having carried out incessant … Read More
The report that young men angered by lack of job opportunities in urban centres have rioted in Shanghai must come as a great surprise to most of us if only because we have not had adequate access to accurate information regarding developments in that country. For, more often than not, … Read More
It is as easy to exaggerate the importance of the vote in the UP Janata legislature party on Thursday as to underestimate it. In truth we are just not in a position to assess the significance of this event. For, that will depend on the future conduct of the rival … Read More
It is possible for discerning observers of the Pakistani political scene to take the view that Mr. Bhutto is the principal, if not the sole, architect of his misfortune. An article to that effect by Mr. Dilip Mukherjee, biographer of Mr. Bhutto, is published in the accompanying columns. But it … Read More
The Chinese have deployed a fairly large force on Vietnam’s border – 100,000 to 160,000 men and hundreds of military planes on bases close to the frontier and about half a million men in adjoining provinces. And Peking’s strong-man, Mr. Deng Xiao-ping, has said that “sanctions” are necessary against Vietnam … Read More
