2023… This year can bring new tension for India. Annoyed with America, China can start a war on the Himalayan border anytime to feel its power. In fact, an assessment of what could be war-prone areas in the world in 2023, the possibility of an India-China war tops the list.
After the Russia-Ukraine war, there is a constant apprehension that now China may take some extreme step to realize its power. This could be anything from trying to occupy Taiwan to claiming Japan’s Senkaku Islands.
But more than both these scenarios, there is a possibility of China getting entangled with India. Till now India has fought a declared war with China. The state of undeclared war on Siachen and its adjoining border has been going on for years.
Why China is most likely to attack India? Attacking Taiwan or Japan will be difficult for China, why?
- Attack on these two countries can lead America directly into war. Whereas if there is a war with India, then he himself may not come forward.
- China feels that if it controls India, it will be the biggest power in Asia.
The 3488 km long border is between India and China. This limit was not clarified during the British rule itself. Even after independence, the border remained unclear for a long time.
The war has happened in 1962. More than 1300 soldiers were martyred in the battle for Aksai Chin.
Countless skirmishes have taken place on LAC. The clash in Galvan in 2020 is fresh in everyone’s mind.
After the Galvan incident, efforts are being made to reduce the tension. Both sides are talking about retreating from the tense points. But the intentions of China have not been clear yet. Despite agreeing with many points, he has not backed down.
More than 50 thousand soldiers deployed from both sides
Roads built in Chinese territory give it a strategic advantage. India has also started work on the road here. In the event of war, the position of both the sides is almost equal.
War in 3 more parts of Asia in 2023… China aggressor in 2
- China’s eye on Taiwan, but does not want direct competition with America
When China came under Communist Party rule in the 1940s, the remaining nationalists left the country and settled on the island of Taiwan.
These nationalists implemented democratic rule in Taiwan. Today China makes Taiwan its part, but due to the support of America, the democratic government there runs an independent rule.
After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, there was a lot of apprehension that China might attack Taiwan by telling it as its part. But America has said on an open platform that if Taiwan is attacked, it will send troops to help it.
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan on August 2, 2022. Considering this as an unnecessary step, China had sent its fighter jets there at the same time.
Despite so much tension, it is believed that in 2023, China would like to avoid a direct attack on Taiwan. The reason for this is clear that any such step can lead America directly into war and China would not want that.
- China may increase tension regarding Japan’s Senkaku islands too… but will not want war
A group of islands near Japan has been a source of tension between China and Japan since World War II. Japan calls it the Senkaku Islands, while China considers it the Diau Islands.
Although the conflict between the two countries over the ownership of these islands is very old, but after Japan’s defeat in World War II, China had openly expressed its supremacy over these islands.
Large reserves of natural gas are considered around these islands, due to which no one is ready to leave them.
In 2023, China may start a new level of efforts to get international recognition of its rights over these islands, but still it will not want to go to war.
Japan has been known as America’s representative in Asia since World War II. In such a situation, any direct war with Japan will not be good for China’s health.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also would not like any commercial sanctions on his country like Russia.
- North Korea can do nuclear test again on the basis of China and Russia
Kim Jong Un’s dictatorship in North Korea has become a matter of concern for the whole world. In 2022, Kim Jong Un has even said that even if he felt a threat to his country, he would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons.
Russia and China have been openly supporting the dictatorial government of North Korea. In such a situation, North Korea’s business does not stop despite international sanctions.
To realize his power, Kim Jong Un may conduct another nuclear test in early 2023 or before the end of 2022.
If this happens, it will be North Korea’s seventh nuclear test. But the matter of concern is that this will be the first nuclear test after 2017. This would be another step to push the world towards nuclear war.
India is the biggest challenge for China right now… that is why it is trying to suppress it.
India remains the biggest challenge for China in Asia right now. Japan may be ahead in terms of the size of the economy, but India’s image is that of a country which is rapidly making its place even without the support of any superpower.
In such a situation, China’s priority is to stop India on every front. China believes that if it engages India on the strategic front, it can show its power to the whole of Asia. At the same time, he is sure that America will not want to enter directly in India’s case. In such a situation, experts believe that in 2023, the Indo-China border could become the biggest point of tension in Asia.