NEW DELHI: China's attempts to lay claim over areas south of the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction, as made obvious through a map released by Beijing a few days ago, could worsen the ongoing stand-off in the Doklam area. Indian authorities see this as not just intended to take a maximalist position in the dispute, but also to obfuscate the main issue of PLA's violation of the status quo in the region.This fits in nicely with China's almost habitual strategy to create a smokescreen of victimhood, even as it itself encroaches upon disputed territory. Beijing believes it is located 20 km south of Doka La, the place Bhutan believes to be the tri-junction.However, to mount pressure on India and stake a maximalist position, Beijing has released, as Chellaney said, dubious maps laying claim to areas that are south of the tri-junction points as determined and perceived by India. "In this context, for Beijing to cite an 1890 colonial-era agreement on Sikkim makes little sense other than to confound the real issue at stake. In the case of South China Sea too, where again Beijing took a maximalist position by claiming close to 85 per cent of its waters, Beijing cited "historical rights'' for political purposes.

Source: Times of India July 02, 2017 17:49 UTC