China and India

We welcome the visit of Chinese Premier Mr. Li Keqiang to India next week. This visit is important as it is his first foreign visit after assuming office. We can see the beginning of a new era in relationship if both countries can control prejudicial thinking.

Our relationship has been adversarial in recent past. However, this is not a long history. Himalaya has acted as a wall between the two oldest societies of the world. This is one reason why the nature of the Indian and Chinese societies had been so different. Imagine if Himalaya range was not there, we would have seen more mixture of culture and ethnicity. China has a long history of conflict with other neighbouring countries. On a reading of Chinese history one learns of how China has been vulnerable in last two thousand years. We must understand this underlying anxiety in Chinese psyche. Today China is powerful economically and militarily. Both being nuclear powers, the Cold War concept of MAD (mutually assured destruction) would apply to these two countries also. Both the countries should feel relaxed that any military adventurism is not a rational option on either side. China can afford to shed its anxiety. India needs a healing touch. We need to sort out our differences through dialogue.

Our relationship should be based on future possibilities. China cannot ignore the vast population of India which is going to be consumers of Chinese goods in much larger way as the Indian Economy grows. India needs access to cheaper sources of mineral resources and manufactured goods to improve the quality of life of its citizens. Therefore economic cooperation should shape the relationship of the two countries. We went to China last year. We were quite impressed by the progress that China has made. Indian tourists have traditionally liked to go to US and Europe for holidays. China can tap this source of income by making adequate arrangements like Indian vegetarian food available more easily and places of pilgrimage more prominent. (Because Indians love to mix their holidays with pilgrimages.)