It was almost inevitable that the major nations. of Asia would sooner or later involve themselves in the tragedy now being enacted in East Pakistan. The process began two weeks ago when both houses of India's Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution expressing “wholehearted sympathy” for the East Pakistanis. Now the Chinese Government, whose hostility toward India is of long duration, has moved to take advantage of the crisis with a declaration of support for Pakistan “should the Indian expansionists dare to launch aggression.”

For the moment there seems no reason to take an alarmist view of the situation thus created. India has more than enough troubles domestically to discourage even the most hawkish politician in New Delhi from advocating military involvement, whatever may be done by individual hotheads or groups of militants in Indian areas bordering on East Pakistan. Certainly Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's verbal rejoinder yesterday to the Chinese statement was about as mild as it could be. Even if India were much more belligerent than now appears, there is no evidence that a China still recovering ‘from the ravages of the cultural revolution wants to get involved in a new war.

Thus Premier Chou's note looks like an effort score points with West Pakistani public opinion at little or no real cost. Peking's attitude could change if East Pakistan actually won its independence. But that now seems a distant eventuality despite continued Bengali resistance.