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The border between China and India is a common topic, and it is also because it has never been formally demarcated with India. Therefore, in the past few years, there have been frequent confrontations on the Sino-Indian border, such as the well-known Doklam incident and the Galwan Valley incident. In the aftermath of these events, we have also consulted with India on the basis of the principle of peace. In the past two years, the two sides have held dozens of rounds of commander-level talks on the border.
We have been hoping to find a mutually acceptable solution to formalize the border between the two countries, but there has not been much progress so far. Recently, India deployed an additional 10,000 troops along the Sino-Indian border and made a high-profile claim that southern Tibet is permanently part of what it calls an "inalienable part" of India.
In this regard, our side once again stressed that the Sino-Indian border has not yet been clearly demarcated, especially in addition to the eastern, central and western regions, and has also specifically mentioned the issue of the "Sikkim section", which obviously makes India feel uneasy. So, what is the reason behind all this, and why is India so obsessed with Sikkim?
The border between China and India has never been demarcated
The 1,710-kilometre-long Sino-Indian border, which has never been formally demarcated in history, is based on the long-established traditional customary line, which is divided into three sections, eastern, central and western, each with its own characteristics and points of contention. The eastern section of the border is about 650 kilometers long, and this part mainly stretches along the southern foothills of the Himalayas, from the junction of China, India and Myanmar to the junction of China, India and Bhutan. In this paragraph, the main controversy is concentrated in southern Tibet.
The border of the middle section is about 400 kilometers long, which is the 6795 highland from the junction of China, India and Nepal in Pulan County, Tibet to Zada County. The centre is relatively calm and there is relatively little dispute between the two sides, mainly because of the rugged and inaccessible terrain and the fact that the two countries have more of an agreement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the region.
The western section of the border is about 650 kilometers long, and it stretches from the 6795 highlands in Zada County to the Karakoram Pass in Xinjiang. In this section, the dispute between China and India is particularly intense, especially in the Aksai Chin region. The strategic location of the region is extremely important, not only for homeland security, but also for the strategic interests of both countries in the region.
Historically, although the Sino-Indian border has never been formally demarcated, a rough line of traditional customary lines has been formed based on the historical administrative jurisdiction of both sides. To a large extent, this "customary" way of drawing lines is due to the inconvenient and inaccessible characteristics of ancient times, which made these border areas in a vague and natural state for a long time. However, with the establishment of the modern state system and the strengthening of the concept of national sovereignty, this method of border demarcation based on tradition and custom has gradually shown its limitations and problems.
The roots of the Sino-Indian border dispute can be traced back to the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, when British colonial influence in Asia grew. The British formally established their colonial rule in India in 1858, and the Qing dynasty controlled present-day southern Tibet during this period. The borders between the two empires were not clearly demarcated. As British control over India became more entrenched, it began to expand its influence in the surrounding areas, including, of course, interest in areas under Qing control.
In 1890, Britain signed the Sino-British-Tibet-India Treaty with the Qing government, which was the first attempt to demarcate the boundary between southern Tibet and Sikkim, but the issue was not resolved with regard to the border between eastern Tibet and the Aksai Chin region. In 1914, against the backdrop of the decline of the Qing government and internal chaos, the British took advantage of this opportunity to try to negotiate the border issue again with the nascent government of the Republic of China and the local government of Tibet in Shimla, India.
This meeting led to the demarcation of the famous "McMahon Line", which was named after one of the British representatives, and an attempt to completely annex southern Tibet to British India. However, the mainland delegation refused to accept this boundary, and the Government of the Republic of China had never recognized the validity of the meeting and its results. Therefore, the McMahon Line is an illegal border line.
As time went on, especially after the 1950s, our dispute with India became increasingly acute. In February 1951, not long after the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was busy with various domestic constructions, and at the same time, he was actively participating in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. At this critical moment, India sent more than 100 soldiers to cross the Xishan River and the Tawang River, and directly invaded the capital of Tawang. This act directly forced the local government of Tibet, which originally exercised jurisdiction over the region, to relocate.
In October, with helicopter support, Indian forces further invaded and occupied Bacha Siren in the Upper Loyu area, while forcibly setting up military camps in areas such as Mechuka. By 1953, the Indian forces had basically completed the occupation of Menyu, Luoyu, and Xiachayu. In 1954, the Indian army occupied three more places: Shanza, Labudi and Uge. By 1955, the Porinsando region had also fallen into Indian hands.
In 1957, India expanded further, occupying the Shibuchi Mountains and Rivers and the surrounding grasslands. By 1958, they had also encroached on the two areas of Juwa and Qujak. Through this series of actions, India has seized a total of about 2,000 square kilometers of Chinese territory in the middle of the Sino-Indian border. In the western section of the Sino-Indian border, as early as around 1951, when the mainland army had just been deployed to the Ali area, the Indian army seized the opportunity to seize an area of about 449 square kilometers on the eastern side of the Shounishan River, around Mai Zhengnama and Diemu Zhuok. In 1954 and later, India began to occupy the Barigas region.
In 1959, with the occurrence of the Senkakuyama Incident, the friction on the Sino-Indian border intensified. However, despite China's repeated proposals for a peaceful settlement of the border dispute, India has repeatedly resorted to military provocations in an attempt to assert its control over the disputed border area by force. It was not until 1962 that the Indian army invaded the southern Tibetan region of the mainland again and openly trampled on our territory. In the face of such provocations, we, having conducted the necessary strategic assessments, decided to take measures to counteract in self-defense in order to crush the aggressive attempts of the Indian army.
In the early morning of October 20, the PLA launched a full-scale counterattack against the Indian army. First, the Chinese side achieved remarkable results in the Eastern Sector of the Battlefield, where the PLA fought valiantly, quickly breaking through the Indian army's defensive line and liberating a number of key points south of the so-called McMahon Line in just a few days. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) fully demonstrated its excellent military qualities and high will to fight, formulated flexible tactics, forced the Indian army back step by step, and finally succeeded in recovering important areas in southern Tibet. Later, due to the inconvenience of supplies and other reasons, we did not have a garrison in the end, which led to the comeback of India. And constantly migrating to these areas.
Sikkim was also annexed by India
Sikkim is located in present-day northern India, bordered by Bhutan to the east, Nepal to the west, and Tibet to the north. Its terrain is diverse, from the dense forests in the south to the glacial snow-capped mountains in the north, Sikkim presents a different natural landscape. In particular, the Konjo Valley, known as the "Switzerland of Sikkim", is one of the wonders of Sikkim with its four distinct seasons and blossoming flowers. Despite its secluded location, Sikkim became an important bridge between East and West, as the southern branch of the Silk Road passed through it.
The history of Sikkim dates back to the 17th century. In 1642, the 5th Tri Song Detsen was crowned the first monarch of Sikkim, marking the formal establishment of Sikkim's religious and political system. The rulers of Sikkim were not only secular leaders, but also spiritual guides of Buddhism, much like the theocratic system in Tibet. In the centuries that followed, Sikkim's history was marked by wars with neighbouring countries, territorial expansion and loss, and confrontation with foreign powers. In the 18th century, Sikkim experienced conflicts with Nepal and Bhutan, and its territorial borders changed frequently.
In ancient Chinese historical texts, this area was called Zhemengxiong. By the Qing Dynasty, Sikkim became a vassal state of the Qing Dynasty, was protected by the Qing Dynasty, and maintained close ties with Tibet. However, when Britain began its colonial expansion in South Asia in the 19th century, its influence gradually advanced northward. Especially in 1914, the British began to invade the Sikkim region. At that time, the Qing Dynasty was in rapid decline and no longer had the resources and energy to maintain its control over a small, marginal state like Sikkim. Faced with the powerful British colonists, Sikkim quickly lost the ability to resist. After that, the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Sikkim was restricted. After the departure of the British colonizers, India became independent and in 1949, India began sending troops to Sikkim in the name of helping to stabilize the internal turmoil.
Subsequently, in 1950, India brokered the signing of the Indian Sikkim Peace Treaty in Sikkim, which marked Sikkim as a protectorate of India. Although Sikkim retained some autonomy, India has since exerted influence over key areas of Sikkim's defence, foreign relations, and economic activities. In 1975, after going through internal and external difficulties, Sikkim agreed to become a state of India through a referendum. The Kingdom of Sikkim, a once-independent state, can only be found in the pages of history. However, the exiled supporters of the Sikkim royal family still existed, and they never accepted India's rule over Sikkim.
Why India is afraid to name Sikkim
Since India's annexation of Sikkim in 1975, the land of Sikkim and its ownership has been a delicate and acute issue in Sino-Indian relations. From a geopolitical point of view, Sikkim's strategic location is extremely important for both China and India. It is located between Tibet in China and northeastern India and controls several important mountain passes. For India, control of Sikkim means strengthening its defense capabilities in the northeast, while also being crucial to achieving its broader strategic objectives. However, for the mainland, India's annexation of Sikkim is not only a direct threat to its surrounding security environment, but also a disrespect for the territorial integrity of the mainland.
Since 1975, the mainland has not formally recognized India's sovereignty over Sikkim. Although since 2005, maps published by China no longer label Sikkim as an independent sovereign state, this does not mean that China has officially endorsed India's annexation of Sikkim. The mainland has always stressed the need to resolve the border dispute in accordance with the Political Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the Sino-Indian Border Issue, which was agreed between the two sides. These political guiding principles set out the basic principles and methods that the two sides should follow when dealing with the border issue. However, China believes that India has failed to act strictly in accordance with these principles in its handling of the Sikkim issue.
The fact that the mainland has explicitly raised the Sikkim issue at the right time has undoubtedly sent a clear signal to India that any deviation from the "Political Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the Sino-Indian Border Issue" on the border issue will not be tolerated. The adherence to this stance is not only a continuation of past agreements, but also a shaping of the current and future dynamics of bilateral relations. In this way, we are warning against India's potential provocations, while also demonstrating our determination to maintain regional stability and promote the development of bilateral relations.
epilogue
To sum up, the Sikkim issue has become a knot in India's heart because it is not only about territory and sovereignty, but also about trust and respect between China and India. Although the road ahead is complex and changeable, common development and prosperity can only be achieved if the two countries adhere to dialogue and cooperation and resolve disputes by peaceful means.