The Geo-Civilizational Path: A Solution for China-India Relations? - Liu Xi, Lucy 1
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he 2nd China-South Asia International Cultural Forum, under the title "India, China and Asia: GeoCivilizational Perspectives." was convened in New Delhi over the three days 4-6th Dec 2009. It drew scholars and practitioners from India, China, United States, Singapore, and etc. Sponsors of the forum included the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi, National University of Singapore, Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre (Institute of Southeast Asian Studies), Singapore as well as Delhi University. This is not the first time that the idea of a geo-civilizational perspective/paradigm has been raised in regard to contemporary Sino-Indian relations. Prof Tan Chung, the leading advocate of this idea, has argued that a geocivilizational paradigm is the only way to bail out the present international crises. He stressed this viewpoint at the above mentioned forum. The very term "geo-civilizational perspective" was inspired from "geo-political perspective", a term familiar to many scholars in the field of International Relations. Prof Tan believes that the commonality of the geo-civilizational paradigm finds its roots in the Chinese idea of 世 界 大 同 shijie datong (grand harmony in the world) and "vasudhaiva kutumbakan" (world one family) in Sanskrit. Here, I would argue that unlike "geo-political" perspectives which are concerned principally with security and articulating strategic interests, "geo-civilizational" perspectives are directed at fostering relations between entities in a variety of spheres, not limited to security and strategic interests, reaching beyond the narrow concepts of the nation-state system. A geo-civilizational perspective expands the angles in examining international relations, extending beyond a mere security, economic and political discussion to include historical interactions, as well as cultural, religious and intellectual exchange between different entities.
There is a perception among some scholars that since China and India have had a two thousand year history of a peaceful dialogue and exchange, a geo-civilizational paradigm could recreate such friendly interactions. I would like to put forward a different opinion. The historical Buddhist interactions during the 1st millennium have been proposed as the best illustration of a friendly dialogue between India and China. Indeed more than 2,000 years ago India was the birth place of the Buddha and, with the decline of Buddhism in India in the 13th century, the translated Chinese Buddhist texts became the main sources of studying Indian Buddhism. However, the notion that the Buddhist link constituted a real dialogue between China and India needs to be more carefully scrutinized. What kind of dialogue actually took place between Indians and Chinese? What did Indians learn from the Chinese? There are no clear answers to these questions. The Buddhist connection seems to have been more of a oneway learning experience rather than a substantial dialogue between the two civilizations.
A geo-civilizational perspective is seen as warranted by its proponents because of the present complexities confronting India-China relations, complexities that seem impossible to resolve if simply a geo-political perspective is employed. These include issues such as the border dispute, Tibet and Pakistan, as well as the hostile attitude of the respective media towards each other. A more fundamental obstacle is the lack of mutual trust between the two states since the 1962 War. 1 The author is a Research Associate with Nalanda-Sriwijaya Center, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore. The views expressed are personal.
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INDIA-CHINA CHRONICLE Nov - Dec '09 - www.icec-council.org
Moreover, for some later Chinese, the Buddhist connection with India was in fact a source of some confusion. When, in the 19th century, Chinese saw that India had become a British colony and a place for opium plantation, they expressed deep disappointment at its failure to resist imperialism. They were also frustrated to witness the strong contrast between a prosperous Hinduism and a withdrawing Buddhism in India. For instance, Kang Youwei (康 有 为 ), who traveled to India in the early 20th century, clearly voiced this confusion in his Travelogue of India (印度游记). He wrote: "The Buddha and the opium were both products from the same place. How strange!". Another article published in Beijing nübao (北 京 女 报 ) even made mockery of the Indian people and the country’s Buddhist legacy: You thought that India was just fine, huh? Then why did it invite destruction [heyi youwang ne]? It is because they knew superstition. When the British arrived in the cities, they [the Indians] just sat around praying to Buddha... praying that their city would not be destroyed. What do you think: are these Indians foolish, or what? Do they deserve to die, or what? After not too long, they became slaves of the British and they’re still resting in their dreams. Even though the existence of a real, substantial dialogue between China and India in the past remains questionable, this does not mean that the two Asian giants cannot today initiate dialogue as a new phenomenon. Even if we "discount" the most cited example of a historical Sino-India friendship, this does not mean that a geo-civilizational perspective has no validity. To the contrary, in agreement with Prof Tan, I would like to argue that the geocivilizational perspective is an innovation that offers a useful avenue for better communication between China and India. Both proud of their ancient civilizations, China and India tend to be self-centred and lack willingness to engage in dialogues when they meet each other. The geocivilizational paradigm becomes most relevant because it goes beyond a mere geo-political perspective, and provides more opportunities to promote dialogue in multiple spheres. Firstly, a geo-civilizational paradigm creates a historical perspective, which is essential for China and India if they
INDIA-CHINA CHRONICLE Nov - Dec '09 - www.icec-council.org
are to begin to understand each other. For the Chinese, the present is made from the past. Without studying the history behind China’s contemporary development and problems, any lessons drawn cannot be in-depth. The Indians have a civilization even longer than Chinese, albeit a very different type of civilization. For two nations who value their history, a historical perspective is the key to bringing them closer. A breakthrough in the 2nd ChinaSouth Asia Cultural Forum was that it dedicated two panels to discussing the China-India interaction during the premodern times. These included papers such as the "Bengal connections with Yunnan", "Chinese perception of India during the colonial period” as well as "Indians in Xinjiang and the Anglo-Russian Great Game." Such attempts presented a wider picture of Sino-Indian relations in a broader framework of space and time. Secondly, a geo-civilizational paradigm helps to create a social and cultural perspective which is crucial for achieving a better understanding between the two countries, especially for China to understand India. One of the greatest puzzles for Chinese is the diversity and dynamics of Indian civil society and culture. Since in China the state has been the primary driver of development from ancient time until the present, it is not within the natural Chinese logic to believe that India's development is mainly driven by the private sector and civil society rather than a concrete state master plan. Thus, Chinese people first need to stop using Chinese frames of reference to explain India's story; and then to study the various social actors, the private sector and civil society in particular, behind the growing Indian economy and changing society. Learning from India through its social and cultural aspects will also provide a good reference for building a more independent and vibrant civil society in China. In conclusion, instead of dwelling in the past to search for evidence of a geo-civilization Sino-Indian dialogue, a geocivilization paradigm may earn its significance by its present relevance. A geo-civilizational paradigm could be an innovative approach worthy of further exploration for improving understanding between China and India. Through an inclusive geo-civilizational perspective which generates greater historical, social and cultural comprehension and appreciation, it may be possible to initiate a real dialogue between the two giants of Asia, based on humility and respect.
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