Do readers think that China's alliance with Pakistan has harmed China already - will harm her far more, in the longer run? 1. India's decision to "go nuclear" may have been a consequence of China's supply of nuclear and missile technology to Pakistan. 2. Should Islamists get a finger to Pak's nuclear trigger, and there is a NUCLEAR EXCHANGE between the two countries, China's water supply would be radio-active. Cancer and other bone diseases will claim many Chinese lives. The ecology of the Tibetan region would be affected. It is possible that China's rivers fed by the Himalayas may go dry. 3. What amazes me is that China is "pushing her luck" or being "kia su" [ a Cantonese or Hokien term meaning "afraid to lose out" or greedy ] over cornering the maximum amount of territory in a 19th century style. 4. China by continuing with her greed for territory and her present level of militarisation, runs the risk of triggering a 3rd world war, perhaps, over Taiwan or over the "finger area" in Sikkim or over Tawang.
Internal Constraints: In India, in terms of our noisy culture and democracy we "wash our dirty linen in Public"! So, we look weak. But on both counts, Chinese are different. So, China gives the impression of an impregnable, orderly society. But that is only appearance. China has reached a level of prosperity but how to maintain it? Up to 35 million internal immigrants in China and a large rural population which is yet share prosperity? What if they rise up? Corruption is also a big problem in China as it is in India. Here, people mutiny every day. "Rail Rakho", Road rakho"... but our democracy manages all that. But for China it would be a disaster. A few Tibetans rioting, China's leadership goes into worried meetings. External: China is respected for its trade and military prowess but it is also targetted for the same reasons. China may think only the USA is watching it. Everybody is, the neighbours especially. If China tries another 1962 with India, there would be strong pressure put on it from almost every Western country. Militarily, it would meet with stronger resistance. Buying years of enemity from India would not be worth the "finger area" of Sikkim. In 1939 when the II W.War started, everybody said, "Britain, a weak democracy would be "crushed" by a totalitarian Germany". We know, although slow at first, Britain delivered the knock-out. For all its internal squabbles, in 1962, Indian govt., received tons of gold donated by its people for the war.
Former Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt. General (retired) Shantonu Choudhry expects that China is going to up the anti-India ante after the Beijing Olympic Games, and says that it could lead to some border skirmishes. The attempt will be more flagrant if Indias political centre is perceived as weak, he adds. Whether this starts in the autumn of 2008 or after the next general elections, will depend on Chinese calculations of which parties are likely to form the next government in New Delhi, he says. Lt. General (retired) Choudhry further adds that the probability of an all-out border war is low, but a series of border skirmishes is a distinct possibility. He says the growth of the Indian economy and the countrys recent attempts to develop closer ties with the US are viewed with deep suspicion by China. Lt. General (retired) Choudhry adds that the Chinese fear that growing US ties with India and the nuclear deal will bring about a shift in the balance of power in South and South East Asia which would be against Chinas strategic interests.Commenting on Chinas anti-India motive, he said that Beijing would like to tarnish the image of New Delhi in the wake of perceived struggle for dominance in South and South East Asia. Lt. General (retired) Choudhry says, China may actually like to engineer a border conflict and the Indian political, diplomatic and military leadership must prepare for it. Along the border there are a number of areas where the Chinese enjoy geographical, logisti
RE:China is dirt poor
by Kris iyer on Jun 12, 2008 08:41 PM Permalink
Harinder, Please read my posting above. Both countries have some serious contraints too. Yes, India is lagging behind China - it has shown more energy and focus than us. Both countries have been shaped by their own "history" "temperment" or "mentality". India has some handicaps which China does not. Our Karma see.
1. It is a mistake to take such comparison too far. It is not a "race" to reach the "tape"!!Where is that tape? It is one stage in the very long march of history. 2. India is still evolving as a nation. Our democracy has brought up some pretty mean politicians, village-tyrants and "dynasty-makers". China has always had totalitarian govts. "China was governed by chopping heads, NOT by counting them" - a British author. 3. Chinese do not see religion as the most important thing in their lives. Indians were also like that before Islam and Christianity reached us. Even today a lot of religious problems in India are created by these "mid-east" religions. 4. Guru Gobind Singh Devji re-fashioned Hinduism into a more aggressive religion of Sikhism, taking some features of Islam - most importantly, making religion the centre of consciousness for Sikhs. Now some jokes by Khushwant Singh. Someone asked him, "Who is a Sikh?" Ans: " A vicious sort of Hindu". A Sikh said to his Hindu friends, "Khalistan is good for India also, so you shd not stop us." His friends: "How come?". It will be a "Duffer state" bet. India and Pak. He meant to say, "Buffer". "Duffer" is a fool
China has already instructed left front to oppose nuclear deal and ruin India's power production. Left front will do anythink to please China, they have their own goals in keeping India poor and hungry.
