Abstract: Doklam Standoff,a crisis of Sino-Indian bilateral relations,was a large-scale military deployment between China and India.The crisis reflects the newly forming distrust between the two countries that led to an outburst as a result of a series of conflicts over the past two years,which signifies that Sino-Indian relations are entering a new stage characterized by increasingly obvious structural conflict.On the surface,the Modi Administration designed the crisis to stop China from building border infrastructure,to pursue its own absolute security,to maintain South Asian order dominated by India,and to consolidate the basis of strategic cooperation among India,the United States and Japan.Ultimately,however,the British buffer zone theory,the Mandala theory,the Brahmin supremacy theory in traditional Indian culture and the US Monroe Doctrine have also shaped the mindset and behavioral patterns of the Modi Administration.Under the influence of seeking absolute security and its strategic culture,as well as the strong desire to be a great power,the assertive Modi Administration has obviously strengthened its precautionary measures and hostilities toward China.The relations between the two countries are becoming tense.In order to achieve the goal of “dragon and elephant dancing together”,and to avoid the recurrence of crises like the Doklam Standoff,the two sides have to adhere to the two basic principles of viewing each other as opportunities for development instead of threats to each other.The mindset of a zero-sum game should be abandoned,and efforts should be made to co-found mutual respect and win-win cooperation in areas of common interest. Full text available here.
