In China, the regime's vision and capacity to transform the society and state has made a lot of difference, said Mr Harish Khare, Senior Associate Editor and Chief of the Delhi Bureau of The Hindu. Contemporary Chinese elite, cohesive as they are, have played a vital role in shaping-up the country.
A round table discussion on China: Today and Tomorrow, was hosted on October 17, 2006, at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi.
In China, the regime's vision and capacity to transform the society and state has made a lot of difference, said Mr Harish Khare, Senior Associate Editor and Chief of the Delhi Bureau of The Hindu. Contemporary Chinese elite, cohesive as they are, have played a vital role in shaping-up the country. In addition, the political elite share a national goal in nation building. The convergence of power, embedded with ideological bonding and with the support of intellectual class, has made it possible for China to achieve its objectives, he observed.
Earlier welcoming the participants, Mr Baljit Kapoor, Honorary Secretary of ORF, emphasized the need to undertake more studies on China. He stressed the need to initiate serious and focused studies to understand the dynamics of Chinese society, economy and politics.
Mr. Mohan Guruswamy, Chairman, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), made a comparative presentation of the Indian and Chinese developmental models. He pointed out that there is a vast gap between India and China in terms of economic performance and development indicators. In China, local governments are efficient and are able to solve all kinds of problems at their level. The village council ensures community-driven development to create a harmonious society and India can learn a lesson from China's decentralized government, he stated. He emphasized that China has a trade surplus of over $101 billion which accounts for 5.0 percent of its GDP, whereas India has a string of trade deficit. He said China encourages and welcomes FDI from any country, while in India there is a lot of restriction on FDI inflow. He stressed that there is much to learn from China, if India wishes to compete with it.
Prof S D Muni, Advisor to ORF Chairman, flagged out three significant points. Firstly, he observed, there is a revival of the memory of Mao in China, especially in rural China and among the youth all over the country. People in the countryside and the youth are talking of Mao's policies, he said. Secondly, China has made a peaceful rise, in terms of its economy and military strength and the Chinese are confident and conscious of it, he noted. Thirdly, he highlighted the Chinese leadership's vision and its emphasis on harmony. This implies harmony not only in the domestic context but also in the neigbhourhood by establishing a harmonious relationship with neighbouring countries, he said. He also highlighted the urban-rural gap in the countryside as a reason for discontent in China. Finally, he observed that the India-China relationship is yet to mature and there is a trust-deficit between the two countries.
Dr. C Raja Mohan, Strategic Affairs Editor, The Indian Express, spoke at length on how the future might unfold after the rise of China and India. Moreover, he stressed, on how the geo-strategic equation of the sub-continent would shape-up after the rise of these two Asian giants. In India, a large section of people has a deep interest in China, but in reality we are yet to study or be acquainted with its changes, he observed.
Other experts who spoke during the half-day long session highlighted that, despite rapid growth, strong GDP and noteworthy development achieved by China, not everyone there is satisfied. The existing urban-rural gap has fuelled discontent in the countryside. At times, massive protests and demonstrations have taken place against the government in the country. Some of them observed that, perhaps, all the hype in the international media about the many successes achieved by China, might not, after all, be entirely true.
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