US-India Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday conveyed their greetings to the Dalai Lama on his birthday. 

I would have almost forgotten about the Dalai Lama. Some foreign media outlets said Modi and Blinken were to deliver their stance on China, a sign of their countries' frictions with China. Tensions of India and the US with China are already high, do they need to show any sign? Is such a move needed to display their attitude toward China?

These small tricks cannot have any actual impact. Countries like the US, Japan, Australia and India have already fallen out with China. They like playing such small tricks to demonstrate their "values." 

Let them be. When China has a friendly relationship with them, it values their commitment to friendship. As the ties have deteriorated, we have seen a wide range of their despicable practices. In many cases, it does not deserve our serious response.

I used to think China's official response to external provocations a bit monotonous. But now I believe it's good to be monotonous. For example, no matter how those external forces play the card of the Dalai Lama, most of the time, we should remain unmoved and defy their useless attempts.

For both the US and India, what they can do best is to pay lip service. In recent years, what China has won is not hitting back at provocations, but taking concrete actions without being disturbed. Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is getting better, where railways and roads have been constantly open to traffic. Tibet is like a different planet in comparison to Dharamsala, where the "Tibetan government-in-exile" has been set. Such a striking contrast is sufficient to frustrate every external force and exhaust the gang of traitors represented by the Dalai Lama.

The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn