GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR CHINA

Bikash Choudhury


Chinese great wall stands tall for last 2232 years; which can be seen from the surface of moon that speaks volumes of Chinese ingenuity. The current status of China as emerging global power on the back of stupendous economic growth, technological advancement and scientific progress has not been without pain and perseverance. The loss of lives to Cultural Revolution and sufferings owing to frequent changes in Governance model(one country & two systems--centralized political system with free market economy) to try and find that best suits, now infamous Chinese impatience and insatiable desire for economic growth and prosperity is and would remain an unique and quintessential Chinese invention of recent times. That was also a sweet revenge of a Nation that lost and humiliated by a tiny Asian neighbor in nineteen forties. China has actually come a long way and destined to go much farther in terms of capturing the global mind space; provided, Chinese learn to learn from history and drop their belligerence and court global peace, regional stability, mutual prosperity and a shared destiny for mankind. Unlike the developed World who pursued war, violence and imperialism on the back of economic success; and wasted great opportunity for Global peace & prosperity in last century and sunk huge resources for which their economies are being penalized in this decade. Chinese people would be wiser not to drain their resources in mindless aggressive posturing in their neighborhood; rather invest the valuable surplus smartly to bridge the gap between the rural & urban Chinese people. And, in the ‘infrastructure deficit’ of countries in Asia which will buy them genuine goodwill and much higher return.
The recent visit of Chinese Ambassador, Mr. Zhang Yan to Bhubaneswar and his invitation to Chief Minister of Odisha is an interesting and welcome development. More importantly his statement “China interested for more strategic partnership with India globally in the domain of financial stability, climate change, food & energy security. And, China is for building relationship on principles of equality, mutual respect, political trust, business & commercial ties, cultural exchanges, people to people contact and strategic & cooperative partnership between its provinces and Indian states” is a far reaching foreign policy intent of Chinese which need to be diligently unfolded on the ground. “China and India, the two large countries in Asia with 35% of global population must have multi linear, multi dimensional foreign policy with velocity of progress distinct to each segment complementing the over all relationship in keeping with current times and ancient historical & cultural linkages”. India has a great deal to learn from Chinese experience in overall economic development; chiefly, on technology for faster infrastructure development. Chinese have a huge opportunity in India to modernize the entire transport sector (Road & Rail) while investing capital for much better return in comparison to American Treasury Receipts.
Chinese have shown great maturity in retaining the free enterprise system & governance model in Honkong; just that they need to drop their paranoia on Tibet. As it would be counter productive to keep a civilization and culture under wraps and by force; rather, it would be in the interest of both, to initiate a constructive dialogue for a ‘self rule of Tibet’ with full cultural freedom within Chinese sovereignty—which may facilitate the return of Dalai Lama to Tibet in his life time. With growing Indian might and emerging younger leadership may later demand for a pre 1950 status for Tibet as a neutral buffer region between India & China since the time of English rule; which may be tad difficult to accept for Chinese leadership. But, with cataclysmic changes happening fast in Global economy & politics current opportunity may not hold good for long time and therefore Chinese leadership must have to make a choice soon about a friendly company of India with a complacent Tibetan people; and China looking much better as a Global power.