Engaging China

2006: Year of India-China friendship Sudheendra Kulkarni Indian Express: Sunday, July 02, 2006

Communist China—both its leaders and its people—has begun to respect India much more than ever before. Far-sighted Chinese know that India is a lot stronger now than before. If Indian visitors are wowed by Shanghai’s skyline, Chinese visitors to Bangalore are no less impressed by India’s software success story. Although they may not state it publicly, many Chinese are also impressed by our democracy and our unity in diversity.

The urge for democracy and citizens’ basic freedoms is fast rising in China, and its leaders know it. Economic progress provides no immunity to the Communists’ one-party rule. Things must change, and they will. What wise Chinese leaders are seeking is gradual and peaceful democratisation without disturbing social and economic stability. In short, China knows that there is much to learn from India, just as India has much to learn from China.

Hence, our approach to China should be: Remain vigilant but spare no effort to promote friendship. Here we should remember that in the modern world security is enhanced by multiple, mostly non-military, factors such as (a) mutually beneficial economic cooperation; (b) close cultural and spiritual ties; and (c) expanding people-to-people contacts. Unfortunately, there isn’t much movement in areas (b) and (c). India lags far behind USA and Europe in engaging China comprehensively...

Lastly, Bollywood, what are you doing? Why this long slumber after V Shantaram’s 1946 film Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani? sudheendra.kulkarni@expressindia.com