But the world took notice as well.
It was difficult not be overwhelmed by the Chinese extravaganza that we saw on television, irrespective of what one feels about the kind of rule in practice in China and its human rights record. Among the missiles paraded were DF-31 intercontinental ballistic missiles which are capable of striking practically any place on earth, including the United States.
Chinese republic has reached 60 but it acts like a 6-year old. The world realizes that it cannot ignore this rising superpower. But does the Chinese republic realize its own standing in the world?
China’s military, political and economic might is a reality and the world has acknowledged it. But the Chinese (read CPC and its tightly-controlled central government) themselves seem unsure about their status as a genuine global power. “It is a big power with a medium-power mindset, and a small-power chip on its shoulder,” remarked the highly reputed The Economist magazine in its lead editorial in the latest issue.
It need not be this way at all.
After all, China has been earning plaudits for its more engaging and expanding role in the world stage. Its doctrine of “non interference” in the internal affairs of other countries is not always practiced and the world is better off with this change than without. Imagine the loss of leverage on some real and near dictatorial regimes (North Korea, Burma and post dubious-election Iran) in the world if China does not exert its pressure on them. China’s importance as key player in world affairs has been brought about not only by its growing clout as economic and trading power but a corresponding erosion of US influence due to its real and perceived highhandedness (snubbing and ignoring the UN resolutions at will, imposition of protectionist tariff on tires from China) and hypocritical policies (Guantanamo Bay, bending of self set rules on non-proliferation in nuclear deal with India in 2007).
In fact, given her growing military-political-economic clout, the world would like to keep China “on one’s right” as a Nepali maxim says. Does China herself grasp its newfound status? Nope.
Else, it wouldn’t continue to overreact on a number of events.
Let me begin with protests by Tibetan exiles in Kathmandu (and in pockets of India). For the record, not every exile is into anti-China protests. Majority of them want to live peacefully in the land that has provided with warmth and shelter. Each time there is some sort of anniversary or event (like the buildup to Beijing Olympics, the Dalai Lama’s birthday), some Tibetan exiles resort to protests. And how does China react to these demonstrations in a neighboring country? It goes ballistic. The reaction comes not from an aspiring superpower but from an insecure and unsure government. The result is like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly.
Our own successive governments, I regret to point out, add to this insecurity with their own sense of insecurity about how China views these protests within the sovereign boundary of Nepal. In a classic display of head over heels attitude toward China our governments forget even the modicum of humanity and the pledges made in the past.
[In July 2003, the then foreign secretary Madhu Raman Acharya had to give a written assurance that the government would allow Tibetans to pass through Nepal and would not deport them to China. This pledge came within two months of Nepal government deporting 18 Tibetans, including four children, to Chinese authorities in Tibet.]
And now the government has put in place a mechanism to detain transiting Tibetans in Nepal. It is not difficult to determine the real reason behind the government’s decision to deploy over 15,000 security personnel along the northern border, with China. This international border has overnight become “insecure” if we are to believe the government. China should acknowledge its own failure to prevent the flow of Tibetans into Nepal en route to India, let alone the reason behind their fleeing. Well-placed Home Ministry sources say the decision to deploy additional personnel has been done under pressure from the Chinese government.
A country which has home-built missiles that can strike any part of the globe and has considerable influence needs to ignore these protests and let the concerned governments deal with them as per the laws of their land. That way, China will earn the real respect that it aspires for.
The rulers of the republic need to review their position. Overreaction and paranoia need to give way to maturity and magnanimity.
Be it taboo issues like the Dalai Lama (his hosting by various governments is one example) or Taiwan, or treatment the Chinese government metes out to internal dissidents and the opponents of one-party rule, the reaction has always been a mismatch. Haunted by the question of legitimacy of one-party rule, the CPC might think it had to react the way it did to events that even remotely was connected with China. Not in these times. Not when there has been shift in global dynamics and relationship. Certainly not when the world’s who’s who (in terms of governments, multinationals and institutions) want to partner with China.
The rulers of the republic need to review their position. Overreaction and paranoia need to give way to maturity and magnanimity. The more of the same reaction and response, the more it will remind the entire world that though the republic just celebrated the diamond jubilee of its birthday, it has not grown up. It’s a global power and needs to act like one.
The world realizes that it cannot ignore this rising superpower. But does the Chinese republic realize its own standing in the world?
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