Expanding China-India cooperation

The need of the epoch is a systematic expansion of cooperation between China and India. The statement of Singh and Wen provides a basis for this - as an expression of political will. A joint commission of the two countries can translate this political will into action, for example, by expanding soft power space of cooperation.

The two countries espouse different types of democratic systems but both are committed to rapid development as well as building safety nets for the poor. By getting together in a soft power space of cooperation they could cooperate in addressing some of their development challenges. A space of "credible harmony" - a term that collapses the individual branding of the two countries - would do wonders to churn out positive images of cooperation.

The two countries can consider four broadly shared soft power spaces: cooperation in space, health care, education and poverty alleviation. A pyramidal structure of research will ensure that solutions generated through space research filters down to terrestrial areas of health care, education and poverty alleviation.

China and India are no longer obsessed with GDP growth. Both have begun focusing on other values as well, such as quality, environmental protection, social security and creativity. Cooperation in designing safety nets and poverty alleviation will help improve the lives of those left behind by globalization in the two countries.

Social science research that helps us understand how various groups in China and India view the social and cultural aspects in the other country will be vital to the development of the shared soft power space. We know Indian films are popular among the Chinese. Which groups of Chinese like these films? What do they like about them? What frames of India does the Chinese audience have in mind? What do Indians think of Chinese films? Certainly, exchange of films, music and people should be one aspect of "credible harmony".

The attraction China and India have for each other and the core value of harmony can be the seed of the proposed shared soft power space. Political will has already been expressed at the highest levels. Now the machinery for implementation needs to be built and, hence, the notion of joint commission. "Credible harmony" will create tremendous opportunities for ordinary people both in China and India, as well as the region and the world beyond.

There is also need for parallel expansion of dialogue and cooperation between Chinese and Indian communities in Australia and throughout the world, for the maturity shown by Beijing and New Delhi can find excellent expression in cooperative inter-diasporic relations, too.

The author is foundation chair of the International Communication and inaugural director-designate of Soft Power Advocacy and Research Centre at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

(China Daily 09/28/2011 page9)