Two to tango in the Asian Century

India and China have long had a conflicted relationship, but in the 21st century, their shared interests far outweigh their differences, argues journalist Shastri Ramachandaran in his book

Beyond Binaries: The World of India and China

Author: Shastri Ramachandaran

Publisher: Genuine Publications & Media Pvt Ltd

Pages: 309

Price: Rs 750

The 21st century is largely perceived to belong to Asia, in which India and China are expected to play significant roles. Therefore, understanding the complexities and complementary nature of their relationship assumes importance. Shastri Ramachandaran’s book Beyond Binaries provides a coherent “outside-in” view of Sino-Indian relations, putting into context history, culture and politics through a bricolage of his writings.

The author’s long journalistic stint for mainstream media in China since 2008 afforded him the advantage of a close look at the changing dynamics there. Awestruck by the economic miracle of an unprecedented transformation, driven by extensive infrastructure and growth, despite its different political system, Mr Ramachandaran attributes it to Deng Xiaoping’s belief in “to get rich is glorious”.  Prescient planning helped to attract industries moving out of the developed world. The factory of the world now seems to have reached a saturation point, requiring a boost to domestic consumption and moving up the value chain in services and technology. However, China’s massive trade gains, owing to circumventions of the World Trade Organization rule book, extractive tactics of dumping goods, forced technology transfers, tied investments and so on, resulting in high indebtedness in the Global South, may well be the reason for the pushback against globalisation.

The “Jasmine Revolution” that inspired a series of uprisings in West Asia, popularly known as the “Arab Spring”, the author reasons, escaped China because its system was a revolutionary product of its own people. The premium he places on development and delivery of livelihood issues overlooks the importance of fundamental rights and freedom. This assumption justifies treacherous acts of authoritarian regimes of genocide, ruthless crackdown on dissent, muzzling of the media, annexation of territories (like Tibet) and so on.

The idea of wolf warrior diplomacy, ascribed to China’s rising nationalism, is said to be less evident in the post-Covid era. In its place, the persuasive character of quiet diplomacy is evident in the making of peace deals between Saudi Arabia-Iran and Myanmar–Bangladesh and others. Through the Belt and Road Initiative and regional groupings such as Brics and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, China’s influence is spreading across continents. These developments do not absolve China’s intrinsic nature of “coercive diplomacy” that is so apparent in its dealings, as in the context of Taiwan and the South China Sea.

The author puts India’s diplomatic faux pas in its bid for Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) membership under the spotlight. He appears to think that it was a futile exercise that needlessly pushed India into an avoidable tangle with China in 2016, quite oblivious to the possibility that few others were opposing it. According to Mr Ramachandaran, India’s accession would have negated the very purpose for creating NSG by the US, which was essentially designed to contain India after its 1974 nuclear test. India’s obsession with NSG was incomprehensible given that it had no bearing on its ongoing nuclear programme and uranium supply, he writes.

The book deals at length with India-China border issues. Drawing references to A G Noorani’s book that suggests the unilateral revision of the official map by Nehru in July 1954, Mr Ramachandaran opines that the seeds of the 1962 India-China war may have been sown already. He attributes the frequent border incursions and the unprovoked June 2020 Galwan attack to the unsettled border situation. He goes on to point out that the Galwan standoff also exposed the duplicity of the West in failing to extend tangible support to India, while using it to push defence deals and pursue strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between Australia, Japan, US and India.

The Indian media receives scathing criticism for its reactive and rhetorical reportage on bilateral issues; in contrast, the Chinese media is said to be well managed in presenting harmonious perceptions. The media’s failure to educate the Indian public on the need for strengthening cross-border friendship and the pursuit of common interests causes the Indian public to imagine China variously, much like the proverbial Indian elephant as seen by five blind men.

The term “Asian Century”, implying a pivotal shift from West to East, represents a promise that invariably evokes optimism, but ceases to resonate, Mr Ramachandaran contends, due to India-China confrontations and mutual distrust. Their conflicted relationship prevents the possibility of taking coordinated positions on issues of interest to Global South in multilateral fora. He takes a pragmatic view of the evolving relationship in the belief that conflict with India could diminish China’s international standing and effectively put paid to its aspirations as a rising peaceful power. However, the ball is squarely in China’s court for it is incumbent on it to do whatever it takes to become more acceptable to India without preconditions.

Mr Ramachandaran’s narration flows from his conviction that the shared interests of India and China far outweigh their differences. This thought-provoking book tells us that cooperation between the two could result in mutually beneficial economic development for 2.8 billion people, a game-changer that would recast the international politico-economic order, including reforming global institutions. The rapid expansion in bilateral trade to a record $136 billion in 2022 signifies the growing interdependence of the two countries despite persisting differences on the surface. Perhaps, the best way forward may be for trade to lead and the flag to follow.

The reviewer is a serving Indian Foreign Service officer