चीन की रणनीतिक ग्रे‑ज़ोन दबाव नीति भारत के खिलाफ – Vijay Gokhale की नई पुस्तक से अंतर्दृष्टि

<p><strong>Vijay Gokhale</strong>, former Foreign Secretary, analyses how China blends military, economic and propaganda tools to pursue political goals rather than pure territorial gains. His book examines the 1958 <span class="key-term" data-definition="Second Taiwan Strait Crisis (1958) — A brief war between China and the United States over Taiwan, illustrating China’s use of limited force to achieve political aims. (GS1: History)">Second Taiwan Strait Crisis</span>, the 1962 war with India and the 2020 LAC standoff, showing a pattern of "<span class="key-term" data-definition="Grey‑zone coercion — Use of non‑military tools such as economic pressure, propaganda and limited military actions to achieve strategic goals without full‑scale war. (GS2: Polity)">grey zone coercion</span>" that aligns with global power shifts.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>After <strong>1979</strong> China avoided hot wars, preferring continuous tension using military and non‑military levers.</li> <li>In <strong>1958</strong>, China exploited US distraction in West Asia to pressure Taiwan, aiming to force US engagement rather than outright conquest.</li> <li>The <strong>1962</strong> India‑China war was driven by political objectives—neutralising India as a rival—while domestic turmoil from the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Great Leap Forward — Mao’s 1958‑1962 campaign for rapid industrialisation that caused massive famine; shows how domestic crises shape foreign policy. (GS3: Economy, GS2: Polity)">Great Leap Forward</span> gave Mao a pretext for external conflict.</li> <li>In <strong>2020</strong>, heightened <span class="key-term" data-definition="Quad — Strategic grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India aimed at counterbalancing China’s influence. (GS2: Polity)">Quad</span> activities and a US‑India summit prompted China to employ military pressure along the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Line of Actual Control (LAC) — The de‑facto border between India and China where both sides patrol, often leading to standoffs. (GS2: Polity)">Line of Actual Control (LAC)</span>.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>China views every bilateral dispute through a global lens. Whether confronting the US in the Taiwan Strait or India in the Himalayas, Beijing assesses how the outcome reshapes the international balance of power. Domestic politics, such as Mao’s need to rally the Party after the famine, often provide the catalyst for external aggression.</p> <p>China’s strategic aim has consistently been to keep India in a neutral stance, avoiding a "<span class="key-term" data-definition="Two‑front conflict — Situation where a country faces threats from two opposite sides, a strategic concern for China regarding India and the US/Russia. (GS2: Polity)">two‑front conflict</span>" scenario. When China feels strong internationally, it resorts to coercion (e.g., 1962 war, 1987 Sumdorong Chu crisis, 2020 LAC standoff). When weaker, it offers di