Indian scholar: China and India learn from each other's strengths to build a peaceful and prosperous multipolar world
2024-08-13
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Introduction: As two major developing countries and the two most populous countries in the world, China and India should transcend their differences, jointly address global issues, and avoid political differences hindering cooperation. The two countries should proceed from common interests, adjust their foreign strategies, and interact on the basis of equality and fair competition; they should also combine their respective advantages, learn from each other's strengths, carry out international development cooperation with other countries, create an environment of mutual trust, and contribute to building a peaceful and prosperous multipolar world.
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author:
Natasha Agarwal Visiting Research Scholar, College of International Development and Global Agriculture, China Agricultural University
Paresh Batra Independent Researcher, Mumbai, India
The current globalization process seems to have entered a new phase, characterized by the fact that the losses caused by geopolitical risks outweigh the gains of global business operations. Not only do foreign companies face difficulties in expanding their business in India, but Indian companies also find it difficult to expand their business. The reason is that the Indian government has strictly restricted the issuance of business visas and work visas to Chinese citizens. At the same time, the Indian government has adopted stricter screening measures for direct investment from China, which will have a negative impact on India's ambitions in the global manufacturing industry. In India, there are very few people who admit that the current economic interaction between the country and China is problematic and needs to be adjusted, and even if there are, it is accompanied by a "cautious" attitude.
As the geopolitical landscape changes rapidly and countries become more integrated into the global economic system, the economic status of both India and China cannot be underestimated. China and India should uphold the concept of multipolar development, focus on the interests of the global South, put aside political differences, and optimize the framework of economic cooperation. This is even more urgent now that we urgently need to work together to address common global issues such as climate change.
As the two most populous countries in the world, how should China and India cooperate to achieve common progress? Can the two sides take advantage of their cultural similarities to avoid political differences that hinder the results of competitive cooperation? Competitive cooperation between the two countries can not only meet the development needs and visions of both sides and bridge differences, but also benefit other countries, thereby promoting international common development cooperation.
Image source: Xinhua News Agency
Optimizing economic cooperation between the two countries is expected to present to the world a new multipolar development paradigm, which is centered on the understanding that every country wants to grow and have a voice on the global stage. This development paradigm requires us to respect each other's sovereignty, non-aggression, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. When countries gain this independence and autonomy on the global stage, a sense of equal cooperation will naturally arise, bringing together countries with different ideologies and creating a favorable environment for countries to do business. The door to dialogue and negotiation will naturally open.
Domestic development needs mean that countries will constantly adjust their foreign strategies according to their own economic interests and ally themselves with countries that respect the sovereignty of other countries and do not interfere in their internal affairs - in other words, interact on the basis of equality and fair competition.
China and India can combine their respective strengths and cooperate with other countries using this multipolar development paradigm to change the global economic and political discourse. At the BRICS Governance Seminar held in South Africa last year, both countries emphasized their respective industry competitiveness in an attempt to attract global financial and human capital. China and India have different advantageous industries and technologies. If they are combined, a competitive cooperation trend can be formed in international development cooperation, which is expected to create an environment of mutual trust and promote economic growth and development in the cooperating countries. Both sides will directly benefit from the spillover effects of this cooperation. This impact will also be internalized directly or indirectly into the behavior of the participants.
Image source: Xinhua News Agency
For example, when cooperating with African countries, the two countries have played to their unique strengths in some areas, but they are also unable to do so in other areas. Therefore, competitive cooperation in international development will help the two countries make up for their shortcomings and continue to play to their strengths. For example, India's strengths lie in language skills and cultural affinity with African countries, while China's strengths lie in efficient process management. The two complement each other and can interact with African countries in a more coordinated manner.
This "co-opetition" model between China and India can also be applied elsewhere, whether in Southeast Asia or in the Pacific Islands. The weakness of one country can be compensated by the strength of another country. The cooperation between China and India can pave the way for global development in a multipolar world.
It is time to embrace a peaceful and prosperous multipolar world where we have a shared responsibility to share and protect global resources.
Image source: China Daily
This article was originally published in China Daily International Edition with the title "Paradigm shift"
Produced by: China Daily China Watch Think Tank
Editor: Song Ping Liu Xia
Editor: Zhang Zhao
Intern Xie Yuqi also contributed
Source: China Daily China Watch Think Tank
