ตอน 97: Indo-China Negotiations

(26th September 1951)

Dalai Lama and his trusted people have already arrived in Delhi some days ago. While India and Tibet didn't have any border dispute to begin with, China didn't agree to it.

But now, China doesn't need to agree to it, because Tibet is an independent state.

But, everyone was sure that China will keep border disputes with Tibet now, to justify a future invasion.

While the social structure of Tibet isn't changed, and feudal system will still exist, Tibet leadership is atleast better than Kashmir's. Many agreements were made.

Tibet will take inspiration from India's constitution and prepare its own. The Indian army will train a Tibetan division. And for 20 years, it will follow Indian Constitution, which will also give a common Tibetian person the same status as a feudal lord.

Police will be trained by India as well, which will decrease the power of feudal lords by it being an independent law enforcement body.

Besides the border, the main benefit given to India was that only companies approved by the Indian Union government will be able to do mining, construction and other projects, even after the 20 year period ends. Most of the workers will be Tibetians, but if needed, workers from India can also be brought.

There won't be any restrictions on free movement or buying property.

On 26th September, Mao, and his close aide Deng Xiaoping arrived in Delhi, and were received by Satyankar himself with a hug. Both of them also smiled and returned the hugs.

As if they didn't just fight a war.

USA and USSR ambassador's to India will be observers in the negotiations.

Now, what should be asked in reparations from China?

Asking any amount of money, land, or trade rights isn't really a good thing for the future. India will be placed in the same category as colonialists.

It's not like India itself wants to force economic ideas on China. The longer Mao lives, the better.

And not demanding anything will also be wrong. The war would have become meaningless. And if Anti-India propaganda is going to be spread in China anyway, why not ask for something?

What will be the best form of reparation?

First of all, China had to agree to the current borders, and recognise Tibet as a state of India. And violating borders will not only lead to shootdown of the soldiers, but also a 1 million rupee fine each time, and it will be adjusted according to the inflation every five year.

Second, recognition of IP laws of Indian products, technology, ideas, everything.

Mao agreed to it easily, since copying others goes against China's pride.

Though, both parties knew that it was nothing but a farce.

Third was a Indo-China Treaty of Friendship, which enforced non-interference in each other's internal problems, neutrality in the world conflicts concerning both countries, and 101 years of non-war and espionage with India.

Fourth was non-conflict for 101 years with South Asia Defence Alliance(SADA). And, it also included Tibet if it becomes independent in 1971, otherwise, Indo-China Treaty of Friendship will do the job.

And lastly, the fifth point was, Indo-China Cultural Treaty. In this, starting from 1952, on 26th September, bilateral cultural meet will be held in India and China alternatively every four years. Also, non-political movies, concerts, songs, comics will be allowed to be released in the other country on a preferential basis.

This meant that despite being a closed economy, India will be able to export its soft power to China. With less censorship. And of course China will be able to do the same, but China within itself doesn't like entertainment.

The quality of Manhuas shows that.

But Mao didn't want to agree to this.

"We will not let your culture come in our country!"

Buddhism, martial arts, and a whole lot of other things left the chat.

"Then you will have to give us trade concessions in other things. But India isn't a colonial power.

Cultural exchange will make Chinese people less likely to go in war against us. We need reparations in some form."

"What reparations? You attacked us!"

"Let's not pretend that your narrative is true. You didn't confirm our borders. You expelled our diplomats.

You basically showed your intentions of attacking us after gaining the advantage of controlling Tibet. Had you agreed to the borders and gave us confidence that you won't attack, we wouldn't have to intervene in Tibet.

Stubbornness can be harmful sometimes. The confidence of having 400 million people can turn into disaster too. We both know that, don't we?

And even if a billion people threaten the safety of my country, we will fight them. With the ferocity of those who defend their homeland."

"What do you mean to say? You will nuke millions of people if you don't get your way!?"

"If you don't stop the war and sign the agreements, prepare to evacuate Beijing. I won't let a single soldier of mine die for your internal political gains."

Mao's confidence that came with having a large population vanished. And even Soviet and US ambassadors who were the observers in this negotiation were shocked.

"Of course, if you have any disagreements with the treaty, state it right now. It is not threatening, but negotiations. You can't call this agreements 'Unequal Treaties.'"

"Of course they are unequal. Tibet is an integral part of China."

"Yet you don't seem to see Han Chinese and Tibetians as the same people. You can't use Empire territories to compare to nation state territories.

If you intend to use that, then for how long Tibet was under a Chinese Empire, Indonesia, Malaya states, Singapore, Afghanistan, Parts of Iran, and even huge parts of Tibet were under India for a comparable amount of time.

If you plan to use Empire boundaries, then we can use cultural boundaries. Then Tibet is more culturally connected to us than China by a mile.

It is your word against mine.

We both know that the main reason China wants Tibet is because of its rivers. I assure you that no dams will be built in Tibet, so you don't have to worry about us choking China out of water.

In our culture, we don't deny water to even enemies, and India and China are friends who just had a spat of less than one year in our thousands of years of history."

Deng and Mao whispered among themselves, and Mao nodded.

"Fine. But we also want you to sell weapons to us. Wouldn't us being culturally and militarily connected benefit both of us?"

Oh... so the tensions are rising between China and USSR?

It is a possible scenario because of USSR wanting sea access from India. Bringing China to negotiation table must have a hand of Soviet Union as well.

Now, selling weapons is very risky. While India's self made weapons(mainly by jews) are about 5-10 years behind, they are probably 50 years ahead of what China can make right now.

And China is known to be able to copy things, without caring of the repercussions.

And selling weapons to China will mean that it will be able to recognise the strengths and wealnesses of the weapons.

"If you want us to export medicine, that's fine. We will be able to export Small Pox vaccines to other countries in a decade after we have finished our own vaccination. China can be given the first priority of the medicinal exports.

But, weapons exports are not really possible right now. We don't want blood money."

Medicine wasn't really the top priority in China right now. In most newly independent countries, it wasn't.

"What about food instead?"

Everyone in the room stared at Mao, even Deng.

"Exporting food can't make us money. We ourselves have to import large quantities of wheat right now to prevent mass starvation. Did you really just ask if we want to export food of all things?"

"I mean, if your production rises..."

"We also have 400 million people to feed. And the number of people will only rise, probably cross even a billion in some decades. We can only export things we have excess of. And food isn't going to be excess for atleast centuries."

Deng asked for something else.

"Please export the farming techniques then. India's food produce is continuously growing. We also want to feed our prople."

Mao glared at Deng. Probably because he added 'please'.

And, it was feeling more like India is giving aid instead of asking for reparations.

"No. We don't need that."

Mao himself declined. He didn't need India's help. He had his own ideas of improving food production.

A break happened, and after the break, Mao agreed to all the five points, and agreed for medical imports from India with lesser tarrifs aa compared to others by 10%.

There are chances of reverse engineering of medicines as well, but even India will be doing it according to its medical patient laws.

And while the profit may not be for the whole population of China, even a small Chinese population is big enough, and most importantly, it will build goodwill amongst the Chinese people. And the world.

The six agreements were finalised, and came to known as Sashthasheel Agreements.