Gen Liang Guanglie's Rs 1 lakh gift to IAF pilots a planned move?

BEIJING: Chinese defence minister, General Liang Guanglie's 100,000 tip to two IAF pilots was not a spur-of-the-moment decision; it must have been planned in detail, said three scholars and one retired Chinese government official. It must have been a conscious act aimed at causing a rumpus, they said.

"Such a thing cannot happen without detailed planning," a retired Chinese government official said. He said he had not heard of any Chinese leader offering cash tips to military officials in foreign countries.

The matter came up during the Chinese foreign ministry's media briefing on Thursday. "I am not aware of the specifics," the ministry spokesman said. He described Liang's visit as "successful".

China observers have often suggested that bribes have played a key role in the country's success in Africa. But Chinese politicians let companies and private agencies handle the job of wooing officials and politicians instead of giving cash directly, sources said. Question is if Liang was briefed wrongly about Indian conditions or he was deliberately trying to embarrass IAF pilots.

An Indian diplomat said he has never heard of any Chinese leader offering big tips openly. It's common for Chinese officials and leaders to present gifts and 'hongpao' - a red envelop with cash - during official tours. But most gifts are reserved for their counterparts, an analyst said. There's no instance of a Chinese official offering cash to air force pilots.