The Chinese Claims

(Based on the writer's visit to Shanghai from May 6 to 9, 2008, for adiscussion on the "Beijing Olympics & Security")

This was my second visit to Shanghai. The first was in May, 2002, to attendan Asia-Pacific conference on terrorism in the aftermath of the 9/11 terroriststrikes. The latest visit was to attend a local discussion on terrorism ahead ofthe forthcoming Olympics at Bejing in August, 2008.

Growing, growing, growing and still growing. That is the only way ofdescribing this city of which the Chinese are rightly proud. Shanghai of May,2008, is unrecognisable from the Shanghai of May, 2002. It has developedhorizontally and vertically and continues to develop.

Statistics are irrelevant with regard to Shanghai. The statistics of todaywill become outdated next week and so on. That is the pace of its development.Shanghai is proud that every important country of the world is represented there--in its industries, in its business world, in its financial centres, in itsarchitecture and in its arts and culture.

Shanghai is a miracle within a miracle. If China is rapidly overtaking therest of Asia--even the rest of the world--in its economic development andmodernisation, Shanghai has already overtaken the rest of China many times overin every aspect.

The Chinese without any exception and without any hesitation give the creditto the late Deng Xiao-ping, the father of modern China, for the economic miracleachieved within a short period of three decades in the country as whole and evena shorter period of 16 years in Shanghai.

He not only liberated the Chinese economy from the stranglehold of the State,but more important, also simultaneously liberated the Chinese mind-set from thestranglehold of past prejudices, suspicions and outmoded thinking. He made theChinese overcome their traditional suspicions of foreigners and welcomeeverybody--whatever be his or her nationality-- who wanted to contribute toChina's development. Without the liberation of the mind-set, the liberation ofthe economy alone may not have achieved the kind of miracle, which the world haswitnessed. That is the point which is stressed repeatedly by one's localinterlocutors.

Another point which is equally stressed is that India is still far fromachieving a similar miracle because the liberation of its economy has not beenaccompanied by a similar liberation of the Indian mind-set from the strangleholdof its past prejudices, suspicions and ways of thinking. As an example, areference is made to its inability to get over the memories of the Sino-Indianwar of 1962 and move ahead in developing co-operation with China much morerapidly than has been possible so far.

At the same time, one finds an inability even in the Chinese mind to riditself of its ancient thinking in matters such as recovery of territory, whichthey look upon as rightfully belonging to China. Arunachal Pradesh--particularlyTawang-- is a glaring example. Why such rigidity on Tawang?

"Because our Tibetan people would not let us accept Indian control ofTawang," one is told. Why the Tibetans would not agree? In response to thisquestion, one is told: ' Because Tawang is of religious and emotional importanceto them. Tawang is as sacred to the Tibetan Buddhists as Jerusalem is to theJewish people. One of the past Dalai Lamas was born in Tawang. RecognisingTawang as Indian territory would amount to recognising that he was an Indiancitizen. How can the Tibetans do it? "

It is recognised that the sensitivities of both the countries are involved inTawang. India cannot agree to a change of the status quo. China, it is said,cannot accept the status quo. A possible solution could be status quo plus withboth the countries sharing the responsibility for the administration anddevelopment of this area, it is said. It is pointed out that China and Japan areattempting a similar solution towards the East China Sea islands, which bothclaim.

What strikes one during a short stay of four days is the tremendous nationalpride of the Chinese people--pride over their past, pride over their present,pride over their achievements, and pride over the policies of their leadership,which have produced the miracle. One can discern this pride everywhere and ineveryone--young or old, man or woman.

One cannot dismiss this pride by calling it simplistically as narrownationalism, as many sections of the Western media try to do. China's greateststrength is not its military power or economic muscle, but this national pride.This pride has been hurt by what is perceived as the attempts made by somesections of the international community to tarnish China's image on the eve ofthe Olympics.

Next to this national pride, the emotion which strikes one is a mixture ofanger, sorrow and suspicion due to the recent events in Tibet and in someWestern cities during the passage of the Olympic flame.

B. Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. ofIndia, New Delh, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies,Chennai. He is also associated with the Chennai Centre For China Studies