Face -2-Face Individual Views-nov2011

INFOCUS | INDIA-CHINA | SURVEY

PD Kaushik

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Face-2-Face: Individual Views

Shadows of the past

clarity for future The youth and interest in doing business with each other are the two main points that emerge from a survey conducted in India and China on individual perceptions. |50| India-China Chronicle  November 2011

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nationwide survey in India and China has revealed the gap in knowledge existing in the minds of ordinary citizens on both sides of the border. It is surprising that when any Indian meets a Chinese at any location, both talk about the long standing relationship between India and China.

Buddhism and people to people contact centuries ago are the other talking points. But after India’s Independence and the subsequent establishment of the People’s Republic of China, public memory seems to fade. The survey was an attempt to revive the memories on both sides of the border and the results were startling.

Public opinion was tabulated from all five directions of India and China, viz. north, south, east, west and central. The opinions on various aspects of India and China were obtained from government officials, industrialists, academicians, entrepreneurs, media persons, housewives, etc. Thus, the opinions covered a vast cross-section of society to make it more representative in a general sense. Undoubtedly, the opinion has a gender bias as a large section of respondents from both sides of the border were male. However, there are quite of few female respondents also who have expressed their opinion.

In overall terms, the individual opinion is the key for any policy initiative. The results so far reveal that almost one out of every four respondent was undecided in China.

For instance, a simple query like do you want improved relations between the two countries, resulted in almost 20 per cent Chinese response as undecided. Likewise, around 8 per cent Indians were undecided on the same query. In the development of a concrete action plan, a clear ‘Yes’ or a clear ‘No’ is of immense help. Both countries must strive through public policy intervention to convert a strong ‘No’ into ‘Yes’ for everlasting peace and cooperation in the region.

A major reason which was shared by many who responded with a ‘No’ in India was because of China’s strong relationship with Pakistan. And the

Chinese ‘No’ was on account of the support extended to Dalai Lama and subversive activities in Tibet. One can question the rationale for the reason, but if it leads to such a public opinion so be it and serious efforts are required at the governmental level to change it.

But what about the undecided population? Especially for a democracy, public opinion matters a lot. Political expediency supersedes economic rationality. This section of the public easily gets swayed by news reports and media hyped sensationalism. And therefore a government has to shift the focus from straitjacketed policy interventions to other forms of soft options. Lessons from the past reveal that soft options have influenced society and culture more than any

nese. It is interesting to note that there is still an insignificant minority view in both countries, who exactly feel the opposite. Around 3 per cent Indians and 7 per cent Chinese do not want improved relations between the two countries. Though a minority, but still it is imperative to understand the background of the respondents to formulate a coherent view on their choice.

The strong preference for improved relations in India is evenly distributed among all occupations. However, it is interesting to note that such is not in the case of China. Mainly “others” and “business” exhibited a strong preference for improved relations with India.

The Chinese media was somewhat not convinced on this issue with a very low preference (almost 9 per cent) for im-

Improved Relations 100 80

Indians Chinese

60 40 20 0

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kind of direct or indirect government intervention, e.g. influence of western culture through Hollywood and McDonald was monumentally high than PL-480 or monetary assistance.

Thus, the following observations will aptly assist in charting the roadmap for a set of policy initiatives which need to be taken up for building stronger ties between the two neighbours.

Improved Relations On improved and peaceful relations, 92 per cent Indians and 75 per cent Chinese wanted improved relations between India and China.

Around 5 per cent Indians and 19 per cent Chinese opted for “can’t say.” This response may be indicative of the lack of awareness about India among Chi-

proved ties with India. Almost 18 per cent government officials and 13 per cent academicians in China favoured improved relations with India.

In the regional distribution, North India showed a strong preference for improved relations with China, closely followed by west and south. Only 17 per cent from the eastern region preferred improved ties with China. However, the western region in China showed a strong preference (36 per cent) for improved ties with India, followed by north (24 per cent) and central (15 per cent). The major business regions in China, east and south, favoured less for improved relations with India.

In age-wise distribution, it is interesting to note that the youth on both sides strongly preferred improved rela-

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INFOCUS | INDIA-CHINA | SURVEY

tions between India and China. Almost 31 per cent in the 19-30 age group and 31 per cent in 31-40 age group in India showed their preference for improved relations with China. On the other hand, there was an overwhelming support (63 per cent) in China for better ties with India in the 19-30 age group followed by 26 per cent in the 31-40 age group. However, about 4 per cent preferred improved ties in the 50+ age group in India and almost identical was the response from the Chinese in the same age group; perhaps they were still living in the shadows of the past.

Occupationwise Distribution: Indian Preference for Improved Relations with China

across all occupations, mainly among the business community and media.

There is a strange paradox in the perception of the Indian business community, which turned out to be the highest (57 per cent) among the respondents who preferred no business ties with China.

The business community in China, followed by “Others,” exhibited a strong interest in the Indian market. But the Chinese media showed little interest in business (10 per cent). More academicians than government officials in China exhibited their preference for the Indian market in a somewhat cautious manner. Though small, but respondents from academics and media were among those who emphatically denied any strong business ties with India.

The preference for doing business with China was more or less evenly distributed across all regions of India.

However, the southern region showed the highest preference for improved business ties with China, closely followed by north. Central India showed a lukewarm business interest (17 per cent) in China, perhaps because of the low level of industrialization. In China, the West showed a relatively better interest in India (34 per cent), closely followed by the North (23 per cent) than other regions. The industrially developed regions of China, the

Regional Distribution: Undecided on Improved Relations 60 50

Others 19%

Academic 20%

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India China

30 20 Business 20%

Media 20%

10 0

Government 21%

North

West

South

East

Central

Preference for Doing Business 70 60 50

Regional Distribution: Chinese Preference for Improved Relations with India

it is interesting to note that the youth on both sides strongly preferred improved relations between India and China.

Almost 31 per cent in the 19-30 age group and 31 per cent in 31-40 age group in India showed their preference for improved relations The analysis of undecided responses gives an interesting insight into the perception of people on both sides of the border. In the “business” category, almost 39 per cent in India and 30 per cent in China remained undecided on the issue of improved relations between the two countries. Perhaps, Indian manufacturers fear excessive inflow of Chinese goods once the relations between India and China improve, and vice-versa. Media, on the other hand, remained lowest in the undecided category in both countries on this issue. In other words, me-

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India China

30 Central 15%

20 North 24%

0

East 13%

South 13%

dia on both sides of the border have very strong views on this subject whether favourable or unfavourable. The western region in China and eastern region in India have conflicting views on strengthening India-China ties, which keep the respondents from these respective regions “undecided.”

It is important to understand that youth, especially the 19-30 age group,

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West 35%

forms the major group which remain undecided in both India and China.

Lack of awareness or ignorance about their neighbour will not be in the interest of both countries. In fact, a fairly large number of undecided youth in India and China in the business category is a major strategic challenge to safeguard short and long terms business interests.

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Business Interests Business interest is often a major motivation for improving bi-lateral relations. It was observed that about 61 per cent Indians wanted to do business with China, but 30 per cent were against having any business ties with China. The usual understanding of “doing business” is exporting goods and services. However, in this case, the proposition included imports, exports and investments. On the other side, 61 per cent Chinese showed their interest to do business with India, but 13 per cent exhibited their reservations over strong business ties. It is important to note that 26 per cent of the Chinese respondents opted for “can’t say,” as against 9 per cent from India.

The Indian preference for doing business with China was evenly distributed

Can’t Say

Occupation Distribution: Chinese Preference for Improved Business Relations

Government 17%

Others 29%

Business 32%

Media 10% Academic 12%

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INFOCUS | INDIA-CHINA | SURVEY

business with China. The highest number of undecided respondents hailed from the central region, closely followed by east.

Undecided respondents were more than double in China than India. It may be due to the overall lack of awareness about each other or poor projection of India in China and vice-versa.

India is either misrepresented in China or there is widespread ignorance about the present day India. The Chinese business community was found to be mostly undecided on the issue of doing business with India, closely followed by others. Most of the undecided respondents hailed from the northern and eastern regions of China. Besides, a cumulative 89 per cent of the undecided respondents were in the age groups

Regional Distribution: Indian Preference for Improved Business Relations with China

Central 17%

North 21%

East 18%

West 20% South 24%

THE INDIAN PREFERENCE FOR DOING BUSINESS WITH CHINA WAS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS ALL OCCUPATIONS, MAINLY AMONG THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND MEDIA.

Agewise Distribution: To Do Business 70 60 50 40

India China

30 20 10 0

<18

19-20

31-40

East (13 per cent) and the South (14 per cent) remained uninterested in the Indian market.

The youth in India exhibited a strong business interest in China. The 19-30 and 31-40 age groups showed a cumulative preference of 63 per cent for doing business with China. A far better interest (93 per cent) existed in China in the same age groups for the Indian market. Undoubtedly the future pros-

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pects for both India and China seem far better than the past, especially with the current and future generations believing in improved business relations.

Inadequate knowledge about China in India, which may be the reason for the indecision, was found to be highest among the business community and academics. Indian respondents from the government and media were less indecisive on the issue of doing

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of 19-30 and 31-40 age groups. Thus, will it be safe to surmise that there is a strong possibility that the business community in the East and South, especially youth, are relatively ignorant or sceptical about the Indian market?

Thus, three important points emerged clearly in this perception survey, viz. (1) ignorance (2) business interest complements the need for improved relations, and (3) youth will play a major role in changing public perception. For (1) and (3), the focus should be on soft options for better marketing of Brand India and Brand China. For instance, a soft option can be improved cultural ties and better opportunities for people-to-people contact. For (2), a direct government intervention is needed in terms of easing travel formalities between the two countries, special incentives for facilitating business by identification of complementarities, and the sharing upgrading of technologies. 

Love must not be forgotten A look at Chinese writing

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eing an admirer of Chinese literature I can stay submerged in its vast variety of novels that speaks volumes about the nature of the Chinese society. Chinese literature, in general, has had a rich history of literary experimentation. From the classical Chinese texts of Confucianism, Daoism etc. to the classical ‘Prose,’ classical ‘Poetry’ with its golden period in the Tang dynasty, the ‘Drama’ of the Yuan dynasty going on to the ‘Fiction’ as the popular genre of the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chinese literature as the mirror to society has reflected all changes in the socio-political and cultural life of China.

The 20th century has been quite a journey not only for the Chinese society and state but also for Chinese literature for it witnessed progressive changes right from the turn of the century to the end of the century.

Though there were other forms of poetry that emerged in the latter half of the 20th century, fiction retained its position in the new century as the popular literary genre. The contemporary Chinese novels, in particular, provide an insight into different aspects of contemporary Chinese society. Many social issues and different concerns find expression in the world of fiction in order to reach out to

the common people. There are many writers who write on diverse issues that contemporary Chinese society has been grappling with, such as women’s issues, the large middle class, floating migratory population, urban and rural divide and the socially economically marginalized people.

Chinese novels, depending on their length, are of three kinds: short, medium and long ( ). Out of the three, the short length novels are basically narrative of the short story kind, the medium length novels can be termed as novella (a narrative longer than short story but shorter than a novel) and long length novels are usually an extended narrative like a full-fledged book.

Speaking specifically for contemporary China, there has been a lot of literary experimentation in terms of the selection of themes, styles and narration in fiction. Writers of the New Period Literature (after 1976) were comparatively bold and were not controlled by official dictum as far as their creativity was concerned. Unlike in Mao’s China, many writers ventured into forbidden territories to reform and encourage from within the system. They preferred not to start directly from an ideological and political point of view but rather November 2011  India-China Chronicle |55|