New Delhi: China’s aggression lies in President Xi Jinping’s ambitious plans for his nation, argues former journalist Kingshuk Nag in his new book ‘A New Silk Road: India, China and the Geopolitics of Asia’.
The book, published by Rupa publications, will be released on 9 March on ‘SoftCover’ — ThePrint’s e-venue to launch select non-fiction books.
In the book, Nag elaborates on why China’s initiation of an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh is not a diversionary tactic to deflect attention from the Covid-19 pandemic, but an effort to get a toehold in Ladakh to strengthen the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The CPEC leads from Gwadar port in Balochistan to China’s Xinjiang province and passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Ladakh allows relatively easy access to both PoK and Xinjiang, thus opening a shortened path for Chinese imports and exports.
Nag re-examines outdated assumptions and makes path-breaking discoveries about China’s new ‘great game’, stating that it is imperative to understand history and learn from it to assess current events.
The author insists that India and China are vastly different nations with very diverse political and economic strategies — something that Indians must understand in order to counter the Chinese conundrum.
Nag, a former journalist and an award-winning author, has written biographies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi (NAMO Story), Atal Bihari Vajpayee (A Man For All Seasons), Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (Living Dangerously), Mohan Bhagwat, and Vijay Mallya (Kingfizzer).
Winner of the Prem Bhatia Award for excellence in political analyses and reporting, the author is an alumnus of the Delhi School of Economics.
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I dislike China for its human rights abuses and bullying. But I have to admit that it has an imagination, and a clear ambition and a vision for its future – which is to be the number one power, surpassing the USA. CPEC is an example of that imagination. Financing the construction of the Yiwu-European freight train was another master stroke of imagination. The Soviet Union and Russia through which the train traverses could not do it.
Here is a description from wiki : The Yiwu – London Railway Line is a freight railway route from Yiwu, China, to London, United Kingdom, covering a distance of roughly 12,000 km (7,500 miles).[1] This makes it the second longest railway freight route in the world after the Yiwu-Madrid railway line, which spans 12,874 km (8,000 miles).[2] It is one of several long-distance freight railway routes from China to Europe on the “New Eurasian Land Bridge” and part of establishing a modern-day Silk Road. The route was opened on 1 January 2017, making London the 15th European city to have a railway route connection with China, and takes 18 days to complete[3] (other European cities with China-Europe railway routes include Hamburg, Madrid, Rotterdam, Warsaw, etc.).
India is only building a bullet train between Bombay and Ahmedabad – with Japanese money – and after 7 years, it is nowhere. China built the railway connecting it to 15 European cities using its own money.
Objectively, speaking India does not have a comparable drive nor capability as China – even the west does not have it anymore. India is mired in wishful thinking. China has trodden on human rights, but India is now doing the same. That bit may become common. But India will not be like China therefore, it will be like Mynamar.
India is embroiled and muddled in trying to reconstruct an imaginary Vedic golden age, and is more hell bent on internal fighting and self destruction. That has always been the bane throughout its history – squabbling between us leads to parties having to seek outside support. Hence, I can imagine that eventually Ladakh and Arunachal will go to China, Kashmir also will go, and maybe even Bengal and the south may get fed up of the cow belt and its backward outlook. The sinking economy and the attempt to crush diversity will lead to social unrest and an unmanageable country.
Tags like Opinions, news, reviews should be added to content. This is plain misleading.
FOR THIS WE NEED TO STUDY TWO ECONOMIST ALSO la rouche american economist whosland bridge concept inspired china and micheal hudson whos advice china is currently working, micheal hu dson clearly states how china is increasing physical capicity of economy by industrail capitailism andhow american capitiiism is all about finance capitailism that is FIRE ECONOMY. if they really need ladakh then is big threat and i appeal to all citizens of india to come together unite and not allow to happen anything which has happen in past to india . we the aware people willnot allow this too happen. under american influence india also financializing our economy . for example nitin gadkari selling highways to pensions funds and boosting how great his policy are . entire health sector has been brought into insurance by central govt insurance scheme, china will nener respect india till we practise financial capitailism as they know how it is path to hell. WHEN ENEMY KNOWS OUR WEAKNESS WHICH WE OURSELVES DONT KNOW THEN IT IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR NATIONAL SECURITY OF INDIA
China is doing everything except good for many countries. Silently since 1990 it followed very aggressive infrastructure development not only within china but extended huge market strategy all over world.One can find chinas establishements all over world. Now china exploring all games ,tactics to see CPEC gets through. POK is a real part of india which our country asking pakistan to return. Now China started disputing Ladak to see india mind changed. But india under a good PM had understood this. But main problems for us is our own political parties who create problems by loose talk. We should unite and get country citizens support to see our stand never be defeated.
I think this piece should have published under the heading “A Book review”: (Not an implied heading of softcover)
A typical case of misleading headlines of articles generally adopted by the media for shock and awe. I hope my “The Print” realoses that. What you say is less important than how you say it.
A bit disappointed.