Throw some light on current India - China relationship
Throw some light on current India - China relationship
Introduction
India and China are two old civilizations and cultural exchange exisisted between them over centuries. They became independent and adopted new political systems in early 50s.India became a sovereign democratic republic, and China a communist nation under the leadership of Chairman Mao. Despite the different governmental systems, they became good friends and those were the days of the slogan “hindi chini bhai bhai.”
The Chinese occupation of Tibet cast a shadow on their relation. The initiatives of China for redefining their boundaries with India through peaceful means did not yield any result. Relations were further frozen after the 1962 war. India felt cheated and China turned towards Pakistan to contain India. Since then, their relations have been hot and cold depending on the current situation and political leadership of the day.
Viewpoint
• India and China have often been compared in terms of size and population. There has been a silent rivalry between the two nations for supremacy in Asia. China has often encouraged insurgency in the North East and furthered the Naxal movement in Bihar and other parts of the country. Chinese have also been quite arrogant in dealing with the sensitive issues regarding its border dispute with India. The march of Chinese soldiers in summer last year raised serious concern in Inda.The matter was downplayed for political reasons
• China has become a major super power. India by comparison has not emerged as a strong and united nation. The slow progress of reforms in our nation is disheartening. This comparison has resulted in huge admiration for China in the world at large and the early rivalry has more or less ceased to exisist
• China is now looking to India for improving trade and commerce. These ties have existed since long and trade and commerce flowed easily in old times. The mutual suspicion of India and China are still prohibiting free flow of technology in field of communications Most recently India has rejected the proposal of fast trains from China. Such proposals are often rejected on grounds of security.
• The Chinese convey subtle messages in their diplomatic manoeuvres and communications whereas Indian government is unable to respond to them .This is a hindrance in improving relations between the two Asian giants. China is also sending assurances that they are not blocking the growth of Indian technology companies. The time has come for deeper ties with this Asian superpower.
• India and China present two diverse systems and they can supplement each other in mutually beneficial ways if they have warm relations. The Chinese leadership is trying to convey that it attaches importance to their relation with India and the Indian leadership and media has to grasp this and create favourable environment for the same.
Conclusion
India can get a lot of benefits if it improves ties with China. There are many economic advantages of opting for further deepening of bilateral ties. China is a nation with immense potential for growth. India should extend a hand of friendship to get its full advantages. The US is initiating soft diplomacy with China in current times. It is recognising the value of tapping the massive consumer market of this nation. India can also benefit from technology transfer from this Asian superpower. India should definitely protect its strategic and security interests, but projects from China should be given more consideration. This can ensure that sound economics forms the basis of the diplomatic policy towards China rather than past occurrences.
Discussion
- Throw some light on current India - China relationship -Rishika Jalan (04/02/14)
Throw some light on current India - China relationship
India and china are the two most populous countries in the world. China is categorized as an upper middle income country while India is classified as a lower middle income country. The two countries’ system of political governance is entirely different, with India being the world’s largest democracy and China being a one party state.
Both the countries have a common desire to overcome differences and establish a wholesome and mutually beneficial partnership. Although because of the past history of bilateral relationships, turning this desire into reality is often faced by a number of barriers.
China is three times more in size than India in terms of area and also has 14% higher population than India. When it comes to GDP and per capita GDP then also China stands ahead of India with three times more surplus.
Currently, India’s trade relation with china is 10% of its overall trade. China is looking forward to improve and increase trade and commerce with India. Since olden days the ties of trade have been well established between the two countries and goods have been flowing smoothly. But the suspicion of both the countries is hindering the free and swift flow of technology in the field of communication. Many proposals are rejected on grounds of security and safety.
Differences occur between the countries because of boundary disputes. Tibet still remains a key source of tension though ways to come out of it are being formed. Moreover, China’s relationship with Pakistan is a major source of concern for India. Its role in increasing Pakistan’s conventional, missile and nuclear activities is the main area of concern. India also disapproves China’s help to Pakistan for development projects in areas disputed between India and Pakistan.
Although investments have grown between India and china, it is still limited when compared to other investment relations which India and China have with other countries separately.
Both the countries can benefit immensely if they improve their relations. Many economic and political advantages can be increased if all the differences between India and china are resolved. And the relation between them depends on a number of internal, bilateral, regional and global factors. Both the countries should join hands together to play a significant role in the world.
