During his visit to Delhi last week, US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates sought to be diplomatic in public on the question of China. But away from the media gaze, Gates had a frank discussion with his Indian counterparts on America’s apprehensions about China’s military capabilities. He is believed to have emphasised that the intent of the Chinese satellite test was not lost on Washington. In fact, he even disclosed that China remained extremely suspicious of the United States when it came to the issue of Taiwan. To his surprise, he found some solidarity among the Indians. Some leaders he met told him that New Delhi was also concerned and surprised by Beijing’s needless provocations on the boundary issue, its protests at diplomatic levels and PLA officers being quite stubborn on the ground. Gates, no surprises, shared the concern.
