India must reflect frankly upon China’s extraordinary transformation | The Indian Express

India must reflect frankly upon China’s extraordinary transformation | The Indian Express

Written by C. Raja Mohan |Updated: October 1, 2019 10:46:55 am

C. Raja Mohan is Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and contributing editor on foreign affairs for 'The Indian Express'.

India must reflect frankly upon China’s extraordinary transformation

China is not the first country to move from underdeveloped to developed status. It is the first country to compress that journey into just four decades.

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While Mao’s economic experimentation turned out to be disastrous, the era of reform and opening up launched by Deng Xiaoping at the end of the 1970s transformed China into the world’s second-largest economy. (Illustration: C R Sasikumar)

As China celebrates the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic with much military pomp and nationalist pride today, India must reflect upon the extraordinary transformation on its northern frontiers. China’s internal and external trajectory has enthused, puzzled and troubled India since the early 20th century. The PRC’s fascinating evolution presents four broad themes for any Indian contemplation.