NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT
BEIJING, CHINA
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“The government announced today that a large scale military exercise by the People’s Liberation Army will be initiated in the Tibetan Autonomous Region to validate warfighting doctrine enacted by General Wencang last year. The doctrine was created after the military action taken against the imperialistic ambitions of our Indian neighbors three years ago.
The spokesperson of the Central Military Commission, air-force General Chen confirmed that the exercise was intended to test refinements made to the fighting abilities of the armed forces and would include a new air-ground concept for mountainous terrain. The exercise will see the deployment of our comrades in the 81ST Airborne Army as well as air-defense troops and other aerial forces over the plateau of Tibet.
General Chen confirmed that the timing of the exercise was not intended to coincide with the recent happenings on the Indian subcontinent and were not designed to be hostile to other nations. However, he confirmed disappointment within the politburo with New-Delhi’s aggressive warlike postures against Pakistan. General Chen noted that New-Delhi was correct to pursue the perpetrators of the nuclear violence in Mumbai but were wrong to think that nations in the region will stand by and watch a blatant attack on a smaller sovereign nation like Pakistan. He hoped that New-Delhi will see the light and conform to diplomatic channels to pursue the criminals behind the Mumbai attack…”
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The peace and calm over Lhasa was drowned by muffled jet engine noises during the afternoon as the first Chinese transport aircraft began approaching the city at high altitude from the northwest. As the civilians ran into the streets, the blue skies above started to fill with circular white contrails of multi-engine aircraft while other contrails dissipated in a straight line to the north. Those near the airport got to see firsthand as the first Y-20s of the Chinese air-force landed on the concrete runway with their large wing flaps deployed. As one aircraft landed, another took up approach until aircraft were making a line in the skies above. The PLA 81ST Airborne Army had started to arrive into its theater of operations.
“Care to explain what you are up to?” Ravoof said to the Chinese ambassador sitting across from him. The latter man simply sipped his tea with all the deliberations of a snail. The act was designed to get under Ravoof’s skin. But the veteran Indian minister was not new to the game. With decades of experience dealing with the likes of such state representatives, he could play the game as good as anyone else, when time had not been a factor. Today was different.
After what seemed like an eternity, the Chinese ambassador put his cup on the table and looked up at his host across the meeting room: “I am afraid I don’t know what…”
“Let me just cut to the crux of the matter here,” Ravoof interjected. Sharp enough to cause his opponent to grimace. “Your country is currently in the process of deploying a massive airborne army inside Tibet. Spare me the denials and the faked surprise, sir. We know. You know that we know. So I am asking you directly. What is Beijing’s intention here?”
The ambassador kept his tone neutraclass="underline" “The scheduled military exercises inside our territorial borders is nobody’s concern other than China’s.”
Ravoof noted that the gloves were now off. “When such exercises threaten the borders of a neighboring country undergoing a tense standoff with your supposed ally, they cease to be the concern only of Beijing, sir!” Ravoof leaned back in his seat and rested his arms on the armrest: “I should remind you that while we don’t particularly relish the idea of going back in time by three years, we will not hesitate to do so.”
The Chinese ambassador shook his head in feigned dejection: “Such a belligerent stance is typical of New-Delhi off late.”
“When we have neighbors who enjoy costly provocations,” Ravoof replied, “it is hardly a surprise, sir, that such stances need to be created.”
The lack of diplomatic tact and civility between Beijing and New-Delhi did not surprise Ravoof. The costly war in Tibet had created deep scars on both sides that were not going to heal easily. Of course, it didn’t help to have a painful neighbor in the form of Pakistan attempting to take advantage of the delicate and precarious peace between the two regional powers…
“This would be so much easier,” the ambassador noted after several seconds, “if your government was to approach this Mumbai matter via diplomacy with Islamabad rather than through military belligerence.”
And there it is… Ravoof thought. The real message had been delivered. “I doubt Beijing would be advocating peaceful diplomacy if this nuclear strike had taken out Shanghai. We have offered to resolve this diplomatically. It has been a week since the attack and we have still held off our military response to allow diplomacy to work. If you expect anything more, I would be inclined to say your allegiance is less to maintaining peace and more to provoke war, sir.”
“Should I take that as a threat?” the Chinese diplomat asked neutrally.
“Take it for what it’s worth.” Ravoof added flatly. “I only represent the government and do not make unilateral policy statements. Least of all on national security matters.”
“So you are only the messenger?”
“If you insist on calling me so.”
The ambassador leaned forward in his chair: “And what is your government’s message?”
Ravoof leaned forward as well for emphasis: “Stand down your military deployments currently taking place in Tibet. Pakistan is not worth it.”
The Chinese diplomat nodded for a few seconds and then prepared to leave, collecting his suitcase by the chair. Ravoof also got up in response.
“I am afraid,” the ambassador noted as he buttoned his coat, “that as much as you are a messenger and servant of your government, so am I of mine. As such, I will convey your concerns to Beijing. That said, I do not think Beijing’s response will be nearly as civilized as mine. The war in Tibet is still a festering wound on the souls of many who now lead both our nations. Don’t you agree?”
Rvavoof nodded slightly. He understood and echoed some of the same hostile sentiment. Even so, he understood clearly his country’s current weakened state more than any military officer. Unlike many in South Block, he actually listened when the senior military brass spoke. He heard from them not what he wanted to hear but what they were telling him. And what they had been telling him was their inability to fight both Pakistan and China at the same time. And from their faces Ravoof had seen the clear-as-day message from the military to the government: keep China out of this.
But as much as Ravoof would have liked to deliver on that, he feared that Beijing would not be so cooperative. They may not go all out, but they would keep India under pressure along its Tibetan border. The Chinese 81ST Airborne army and it’s three divisions were already piling into Lhasa and surrounding airbases. One division and its convoy of vehicles had already been spotted heading west from Lhasa towards the Tibetan border with Ladakh. These units were forcing the Indian military to keep a wary eye on their Chinese front and in doing so, were beginning to sap New-Delhi’s determination to see the issue through to the sticky end.
As Ravoof wished the Chinese diplomat a good trip and walked back to his office, he sensed that Beijing was using the current standoff with Pakistan to good effect. The window for action was fast closing. He made a mental note to call on Basu and impress the same upon him. Ravoof understood that his main job was to buy time for Basu and the military brass to get the job done. He was willing to pay the price to buy this precious entity.