What are the concrete results flowing from the just concluded high profile visit of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao to India? The answer depends on whether one is seeking it from the Indian point of view or through the Chinese prism. As I view the question as an Indian, my answer is that on a scale of 10, China scored eight and India just two from the visit.
China continues to encircle India by developing establishments and infrastructures in all the neighbouring countries of India (Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan) that have strong military implications.
Just look at the major irritants in Sino-Indian front. We have an unresolved border. Despite many rounds of negotiations, a border settlement acceptable to both the countries eludes. And here China’s posture is becoming tougher. The agreed principle – which, incidentally, emerged from Wen’s visit to India in 2005 – that the settled population in the disputed border areas will not be disturbed in any eventual solution has been negated by China, which is now claiming Tawang, the holy city of the Buddhists in Arunachal Pradesh, as its own.
Secondly, China continues to encircle India by developing establishments and infrastructures in all the neighbouring countries of India (Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan) that have strong military implications. It is arming Pakistan with nuclear weapons and missiles, not to speak of other India-centric ammunitions.
Thirdly, of late, China has been perilously interfering in India’s internal affairs by questioning Kashmir’s status; it has introduced recently the practice of a separate stapled sheet in Indian passport while issuing visa to a Kashmiri. It has also denied visa to an Indian general just because he had served in Kashmir.
“¦unlike every other country that matters in the world, China overlooks Indias concerns over terrorism that is aided and abetted from Pakistani soil.
Fourthly, China is far from returning the Indian gesture during the 1950s of backing not only its ordinary membership of the United Nations but also the permanent membership in the UN Security Council, which, incidentally, was offered on a platter to India by the Western countries. Unlike the other four permanent members – the United States, Russia, France and Great Britain – China refuses to support noticeably India’s legitimate claim for being a permanent member.
Fifthly, unlike every other country that matters in the world, China overlooks India’s concerns over terrorism that is aided and abetted from Pakistani soil.
Now, coming back to Wen’s visit, there has been absolutely no progress on any of the irritants mentioned above. And that means that Wen got away with his government’s policies vis- a- vis India despite visiting India. On the other hand, Wen achieved his primary objective of making enormous economic gains from India. He came with a huge contingent of 400 Chinese businessmen and addressed India’s business elites from FICCI, CII and Assocham. He persuaded the Indians to take the annual bilateral trade volume to 100 billion US dollars worth in five years from the present level of 60 billion dollars, notwithstanding the fact that the economic interactions so far been one-way, favouring essentially the Chinese. First, the balance of trade has been against India to the tune of nearly 20 billion dollars. Secondly, the trade relationship is mostly uncomplimentary, with India essentially exporting precious raw material in general and iron ore in particular and China selling finished products. And this despite the fact that the raw materials that China imports from India are abundantly available in that country but which are being saved as strategic reserve.
Also read: Implications of China’s Rise
Thirdly, the imbalance has been further compounded by the increasingly dumping of Chinese goods in the Indian market. So much so that Indians are now flooded by the diwali items and idols of Indian Gods and Goddesses, all made in China! Conversely, however, the Chinese authorities place many hurdles for the entry in their country of quality Indian products in the Information Technology, pharmaceutical and food processing sectors, even though China is not self sufficient in them and imports them from other markets. And yet, China would like India to sign a free trade agreement with India!
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