From the Readers

This is a China-India century

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-10-29 08:27

Comment on "China, India made for each other" (China Daily, Oct 20)

India and China are indeed made for each other. It is often stated by historians that the two ancient civilizations had very little interation until the modern time. However, we forget often the ancient interations between nations were in the form of horrific wars. India and China in stead had scholastic, cultural and economic exchanges of highest level right from the ancient times. Apart from commonly known contacts there are references of China and it's Qin states in Indian epic-Mahabharatha (5th century BC) and in Chinese historian Zhang Qian.

In the modern days, the rise of both the countries is a game changing phenomenon in the world order. Both the countries are the fastest growing economies for almost all the products and yet one of the major producer/manufacturer of the modern products at an unmatched rates. Both the Indian and Chinese governments ignored each others markets in favour of west. Imagine, can't there be a Ipad or an Iphone that can be manufactured in China and run a operating system developed in India? Can't India and China have a joint space programme. India is investing around 500 billion USD during 2007-11 plans on infrastructure development and can't these be done in cooperation with China?

The requirement for the raw materials of India and China in the coming decade would also be shaping the world order. Today both the counties population do not consume even 10% of what western population does. But this would not be the case for ever and soon both the countries would be looking for raw materials from across the world. This is where both the countries can join hands and develop together.

I think the time has come when we stop saying China or India and rather start saying China and India. This is a China-India century and we should not let it go for small narrow issues and due to mutual suspicion. As the Indian PM, Mr. Manmohan Sing recently said-there is enough space in this world for both the countries to grow together.

 

Shatadru, on China Daily Website

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