Chinese Media Lauds Modi, Sino-Indian Ties

By siliconindia | Friday, 15 May 2015, 11:02 Hrs

“With growing economic integration and people-to-people contact in recent years, the two Asian economies have ushered in a new phase and the Sino-Indian ties could be among the most important bilateral relationships, requiring the two powers to abandon the outdated zero-sum mindset and build a more constructive relationship,” it stated.

“It is clear that if the 'Chinese Dragon' and the 'Indian Elephant' co-exist harmoniously and realise peaceful, cooperative development, it will bring benefit to not only their combined 2.5 billion people, but also those living beyond their borders. Otherwise, both might slow down their growth if they fall into a spiral of bilateral rivalry.”

Meanwhile, a paper that had earlier carried a critical commentary on India and had charged Modi "with playing little tricks over border disputes and security issues", took a conciliatory stand to say that the two countries can gain much if they pursue a position complementary towards each other, shedding the distrust they share mutually.

"Anyone with some geopolitical knowledge understands what revolutionary changes would happen to the political and economic landscape in Asia if China and India can join hands to forge ahead," the Global Times said in an article titled "China and India Can Complement Each Other".

"But the people are also aware that there seems always to be a lack of mutual trust between the dragon and the elephant," said the Global Times, which is an English language newspaper of China's state-patronised People's Daily.

The Global Times article conceded that there were, indeed, some unsustainable factors in the trade structures of China and India, like in the case of textiles where the two countries enjoy the status of top two global exporters.

"To tackle them, the two countries must devise and expand complementarity of their industries," it said, while also spelling out some examples of how the two sides can provide more favourable conditions for each other's competitive industries.

Yet another important paper said it was now "time for deeper China-India cooperation"

There is huge potential for deepening bilateral cooperation in trade and economic fields, especially in the manufacturing sector, wrote Xu Changwen in an opinion piece in the state-run China Daily.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives by the Chinese president too are apt for cooperation with India, especially after it adopted an "eastward-looking" strategy, it said.

Source: IANS