Asia's dragon and elephant need to find a way to dance together

Note: The following is an edited translation of an article from the Chinese-language "Commentaries on International Affairs."

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the opening of the nearly five-kilometer-long Bogibeel Bridge on Tuesday. The longest combined road and rail bridge in India, it is the only bridge in the country that meets European codes and welding standards. The 16-year construction project has delivered a substantial piece of infrastructure that has an expected lifespan of around 120 years.

Elephant and rider at Taj Mahal in northern India. [Photo: VCG]

The bridge opening comes at a time when there is increasing debate about the relative levels of economic development in China and India. A joke that's been going around is that some Indians believe Shanghai will be able to catch up with Mumbai in another 20 years. The reality is that many people in India don't have a good understanding about China's development, any more than people in China understand India beyond the level of Bollywood songs and curries.

This lack of understanding seems even more astounding given that the exchanges corroborated by written records between the two neighbouring countries, the world's most populous countries and the two largest developing nations, date back more than 2000 years. In recent history, people in both countries have supported each other in their struggles for national independence and liberation, and have worked together to promote the awakening of Asia's potential. The 'Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence' that China and India jointly initiated with Myanmar have been considered a pioneering work in the history of international relations.

The relationship between the two countries has not been without conflict. The border standoff in Doklam that took place last year put the ties between the two countries to the test. Fortunately, China's President Xi Jinping and India's Prime Minister Modi are far-sighted and took steps towards de-escalation. They held a historic summit in April in the city of Wuhan in China, where they decided to take further measures to promote the healthy development of bilateral relations. To this end, the two sides decided to establish a high-level mechanism on cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Last week, at the official launch of this mechanism in India's capital New Delhi, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke of its importance in promoting the all-round development of China-India relations. And India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that the success of the first meeting will also help to take cooperation between the two countries to new heights, and make cultural and people-to-people ties a stabilizer for bilateral relations.

China and India both have civilizations that are thousands of years old. Chinese paper-making techniques, porcelain, and tea were introduced into India, and Indian sugar making technology, astronomy, calendars, architecture, and literature made their way into China. The mythical novel "Journey to the West", which is well known among Chinese people, is derived from the experience of the Chinese Tang dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang traveling to India to study Buddhism more than 1,300 years ago, making it one of the most important stories of cultural exchange between China and India.

Both sides share many similarities and commonalities in their culture and values. China's concept of "grand harmony under heaven" and India's "the world in one family" have the same meaning, they're just expressed using different words. China emphasizes "seeking common ground, while reserving differences", which echoes the Indian idea of "the unification of diversity". Recently, Indian movies have proved popular with audiences in China. One of the reasons why Indian films such as wrestling blockbuster "Dangal" are deeply loved by Chinese audiences is that the two cultures have common values that audiences recognize, such as the importance of family and education, and that success stems from hard work. And when it comes to cultural exchanges between the two countries, the China-India Media Forum plays an important role, because the public often develops its cultural and historical understanding through media reports. This is why China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi hopes that the media will present the true picture of the developing bilateral relationship and their role in the world.

There have also been developments in the bilateral relationship beyond the cultural sphere that can help to reduce misunderstandings, strengthen mutual trust, and help solve problems. For example, China and India have restarted their annual "Hand-in-Hand" military exercises. India has further simplified the visa requirements for citizens of China, and extended the scope of electronic visa applications to cover people attending conferences or receiving medical services. And China's telecommunications giant Huawei was invited to participate in India's tests of 5G mobile broadband technology. At the same time, China is taking steps to promote imports of medicines from India to help reduce India's trade deficit with China.

As it stands, the focus of the global economy is moving eastward, and Asia is the most dynamic and fastest growing region. The sustained and rapid growth of the economies of India and China is impressive. China's former leader Deng Xiaoping once said that only when China and India are developed will there be a real "Asian Century." India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said last week that people are expecting the two countries to lead the region into the Asian century. This can only happen if the two work hand-in-hand. The dragon and the elephant should dance together in harmony, and not confront each other in hostility.