'China has begun expansionist policy with major rivers of Tibetan plateau at its disposal'

Since the annexation of Tibet, China has begun its expansionist policy towards its neighbouring countries by using its control over all major rivers flowing out of the Tibetan plateau.

China has taken control of most of the major rivers of Asia with all the sources of Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Salween, Hwang Ho and Yangtse, following the annexation of Tibet. Beijing is now making moves to encroach on the neighbouring territories of India, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan, writes Tsering Saphel for the Taiwan Times.

By controlling most of the rivers in Asia, Beijing is therefore perfectly positioned to start a water war by leveraging the rivers' volume and water flow and by way of their incessant damming and water diversion routes.

China has complete upper riparian control over all major rivers flowing out of the Tibetan plateau. With as many as 28 proposals awaiting approval, Beijing plans to harness the hydropower capacity of Tibet's rivers, despite the critical state of Tibet as a hotspot and biological reserve remains ideologically sensitive and seismically active, writes Taiwan Times.

With such 'natural' weapons at its disposal, China's illegal encroachment of sovereign lands of other countries as can be seen in the Indian territories of the Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso of Ladakh, and Arunachal Pradesh and Doklam trijunction of Sikkim and Bhutan, writes Saphel.

After Tibet, China had earlier planned to occupy the five fingers of Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nepal and Bhutan as stated by PRC founder Mao Zedong. To achieve this, Beijing has continued to ramp up aggression around the border areas with neighbouring countries with the tactics of expansionism and exploitation.

The risk and hazards of such projects and expansionist policy issues posed for around 1.3 billion people who live in neighbouring countries is huge and a real eye-opener.

In 1959, the Chinese regime indiscriminately fired mortars and shells to brutally suppress the peaceful uprising against the forceful and illegal occupation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China (PRC), murdering thousands of innocent demonstrators.

In the present time, the Chinese leadership has been systemically destroying the thousand-year-old Tibetan culture and continuously subjecting the citizens to intensive repressive policies, writes Saphel for Taiwan Times.

Meanwhile, the recent Freedom House has unveiled research showing that Tibet and Syria are the least free countries in the world, much worse than North Korea, South Sudan and Eritrea, as continued indications of crime, brutality, restrictions and repression as made Tibet an active militarised zone with heavy deployment of army personnel and rising conflict.

Saphel writes that despite the Chinese regime's campaign of destruction, those outside Tibet can only watch in awe and respect at how Tibetans, both inside the country and in exile, have preserved and maintained their unique, impressive, and peaceful customs.

Saphel further wrote that it is time for India to take a stand in order to ascertain national rights, sovereignty and not be pushed around by the unruly who think they can twist any narrative in their favour while mpulating propaganda and ideals before forcing them onto others.

Tibetans inside the country and in exile will continue their resistance with conviction and unwavering determination against the repressive policies of the Chinese government in support of moves by India, he said.

"We are emphatic in reiterating the appeal for strengthening our resolve, action and commitment for Tibet so that these issues may be resolved once and for all," Saphel wrote.

He also requested democracies around the world, especially that of the US and India to not be bullied by the Communist regime and suitably respond to the oppressive actions promulgated by the PRC.

"The sense of unity and cooperation, determination and courage of the Tibetan people will always be a shining beam of light. The day is not far off when Tibetans will achieve their goal of residing in their own land once more," he wrote for Taiwan Times.

( With inputs from ANI )