In view of China gaining re-emergence as a world economic power, India must not opt for a softer approach, but have a tit-for-tat response
China has been aiming for global supremacy for quite some time now. like it or not, Beijing has successfully put its footprint across the world in the last 25 years. From food to footwear, toys to technology, phones to playing cards, the Chinese imprint is felt everywhere across the globe. But the quality of the footprint is a matter of doubt. Not satisfied with the global market domination, the Chinese leadership is now aiming to secure its future by conquering every corner of the globe.
latest initiatives include, the One Belt One Road (OBOR) and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The consequences of these events are bound to impact India severely. The dilemma is that New Delhi cannot just sit and watch these developments unfolding without any reaction. It cannot do anything to stop Chinese from invading the world.
The economy of China has been growing at 9.8 per cent per annum for the last two and half decades. It seems that this will be the trend in the coming years too. This is due to a strong participation of the private sector which is supposed to be suppressed by the state and which is the only survivor of Communism. The citadel of Karl Marx's ideology has happily embraced capitalism and junked communism.
Knowing fully well that ideology alone cannot win bread and butter for everyday living, the Chinese leadership had decided to dump its communist war cries and take a capitalist turn. This has not only benefitted the Middle Kingdom economically but also geo-politically. Due to its boldness to forego its ideology, China has been hitting the headlines world over.
It has expanded its share in the world market. From the current six per cent China is expected to clock 10 per cent of the world exports in next five years. Agriculture was the first target for reform in China. In 2000, private companies were given freedom. Every sector except energy was taken out of the price control regime.
Individuals in the country were given the right to own private limited companies. Internal market was united with the help of technology and best management practices. Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) started pouring in, state regulations started withering away, multiple exchange rate were given away, state trade monopoly was abolished and many other ultra-liberal economy reforms were also introduced.
Chinese growth in the last two and half decades and for the next two and half decades can be analysed for a better insight into the power of leadership in the world's most populated country. There is no wanting of Chinese leadership in every angle of its growth. From strengthening the economy to sharpening its global supremacy ideas, the Chinese leadership has been at its best. There is a clever move in each and every initiative taken to put Beijing on the centre of the world stage.
In all these steps, its political leadership has been playing a single-minded silent game. Whatever designs needed and wherever is needed, the Chinese leadership is ever ready to play its role strategising to its favour effectively.
Knowing fully well that India is going be its challenger and not the US or Russia in the near future, China has started their focus rightly. Bringing together the archrivals of India and preventing neutral nations drifting towards India, Chinese play their game impeccably at the appropriate time and place.
The OBOR initiative of China is to revive its old Silk Road which connected China with the Eurasian countries. Although there is nothing new in the trade game but there is something different in the design of the trade plans of China. The design is not only to increase trade with other nations but also to counter the growth of rivals at any cost, like India.
This economic muscle-flexing, coupled with geo-political games, has put China at loggerheads with India very often. China has irked India by starting CPEC. This corridor is going to develop the infrastructure of Pakistan and make sure that the Islamic republic feeds raw materials for the Chinese factories and serves as the market for the finished products for China.
More than $50 billion worth of infrastructure projects will be built along this corridor. It is a friendly colonialism which Pakistan is willing to accept. If there is a mutual bonhomie because of common enemy India, there won't be any problem in the future. But if there is any change in China or Pakistan relationship with India, the economic corridor will be severely dented.
As of now, India will pose a series of challenges to the might of Chinese road designs by bringing together the common enemies. A tit-for-tat approach can slow down the Chinese evil designs. A softer watch will ruin India. The first game has been started already by India by launching the Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.
(The writer is Dean of Nehru Memorial College, Trichy)