As China ponders its options, it surely will be reminded of the saying, what goes round always comes back. Beijing’s past benign attitudes to nuclear proliferation in Pakistan and North Korea have ended up making India nuclear and Japan more assertive.

Hu, the Strong

While China’s headaches in East Asia mount, its president, Hu Jintao, is rapidly consolidating his grip on the Chinese Communist Party. Although he took charge of China in 2002, Hu had to cope with the refusal of his powerful predecessor, Jiang Zemin, to fade away.

But this week’s plenum of the Central Committee of the CCP is expected to underline Hu’s emergence as the unquestioned leader of China. Over the last few weeks, Hu has confronted the so-called “Shanghai clique” of Jiang’s proteges and allies in the party. Of special importance was Hu’s decision to sack Shanghai party boss and CPC Politburo member, Chen Liangyu, on charges of corruption. Chen was a close associate of Jiang.

The plenum is expected to strip Chen of his party membership and order prosecution against him for misusing citizens’ pension funds for illegal investments.

India’s opportunity

As it prepares to lay out the red carpet for Hu next month, India should recognise that strong interlocutors make for productive negotiations.

Hu’s visit provides India a rare opportunity to make some big moves, especially on the long-standing boundary dispute. The Janata Dal government led by H.D. Deve Gowda, that received President Jiang at the pinnacle of his power during 1996, did not have the political will to lift Sino-Indian ties above the ordinary. The NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was certainly bolder. But by the time it was poised for a breakthrough, its time had run out.

... contd.