Helpful neighbor is not always a true friend

Several regional groups are promoting Chinese interests, unmindful of China’s aggressive and threatening behavior and stance against some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. These groups seem to lack strategic depth and are apparently engaging in propaganda for China.

Everyone appreciates the benefits of having economic ties with China. But China is not content with mere economic progress and global political empowerment. It has a more sinister design to take possession of other sovereign nations’ territories and resources, defying international laws and conventions, even arm-twisting its weaker neighbors. China has turned itself into a serious threat to global peace, political stability and democracy.

Not everything that China offers makes for a win-win situation. If China wants to be nice, kind, generous, and helpful, why is it going into conflicts with so many Asian countries (Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, to name some) all at the same time?

By taking economically weak Cambodia and Laos under complete economic control, China is in fact working insidiously to break down Asean unity and integrity.

By constantly and covertly supporting dictatorial regimes, military rulers, warlords, terror groups in North Korea and Pakistan, China is threatening peace and the progress of other nations across the Asian mainland.

China is blocking the tributaries of many international rivers in occupied Tibet in an obvious attempt to bring countries downstream under its hegemony.

Playing warmonger in the South China Sea, East China Sea, Indian Ocean and West Pacific Ocean, China is slowly turning into a serious threat to global peace and economic progress.

Even during the heyday of communism, the communist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and China never had cordial relations, as Russia always suspected Beijing to be harboring secret, hostile designs against it. China’s words and actions should be taken always with a grain of salt as its intentions are not always appreciable.

The regime change in Burma (Myanmar) has weakened China’s hold in that country, and Burma understandably deals with China with caution.

It’s not always that a neighbor who comes to you with doles is a true friend. And you have to be careful so that you can see when the vicious wolf is disguised in a lamb’s skin.

SAIKAT KUMAR BASU, Apt 6-409, 43 Street South, Lethbridge AB Canada T1J 4B3