India and China are both cradles of human civilization. These countries have many similarities and have thousands of years of cultural and scientific exchanges. Some of them are mentioned below.
Buddha and Confucious were contemporaries. While Buddha taught Ahimsa (non-violence), Confucious taught upright living. Buddhism went to China from India and from China it spread to Japan and other Southeast Asian countries.
The Brahmanical system of education in India was similar to the Mandarin system of education in China. These systems were utilized for the governance of their respective countries.
The Indian mathematician Aryabhata was born in 476 A.D. He made seminal contributions to mathematics and astronomy, including concepts of trigonometry, zero (0), pi and about the motions of planets and Earth. Some consider that he postulated the heliocentric model of the solar system, that is the Earth and other planets move around the Sun. Many Chinese scholars visited Aryabhata, some of them translated his books into Chinese.
When Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of unified China, came to power, he ordered that all non-scientific books be burnt. He wanted books on history and culture to be written afresh to prove that the Chinese civilization started during his reign. In order to save earlier books from being burnt many Chinese scholars fled to India with their books.
Ancient India comprised of many kingdoms and these kingdoms were engaged in fighting among themselves to increase their sizes and dominance. The largest size of India was achieved during the British rule.
Ancient China too comprised of many warring kingdoms. The great Chinese Wall was constructed to defend original China from invaders. After many centuries of fighting China acquired its present size.
Buddha and Confucious were contemporaries. While Buddha taught Ahimsa (non-violence), Confucious taught upright living. Buddhism went to China from India and from China it spread to Japan and other Southeast Asian countries.
The Brahmanical system of education in India was similar to the Mandarin system of education in China. These systems were utilized for the governance of their respective countries.
The Indian mathematician Aryabhata was born in 476 A.D. He made seminal contributions to mathematics and astronomy, including concepts of trigonometry, zero (0), pi and about the motions of planets and Earth. Some consider that he postulated the heliocentric model of the solar system, that is the Earth and other planets move around the Sun. Many Chinese scholars visited Aryabhata, some of them translated his books into Chinese.
When Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of unified China, came to power, he ordered that all non-scientific books be burnt. He wanted books on history and culture to be written afresh to prove that the Chinese civilization started during his reign. In order to save earlier books from being burnt many Chinese scholars fled to India with their books.
Ancient India comprised of many kingdoms and these kingdoms were engaged in fighting among themselves to increase their sizes and dominance. The largest size of India was achieved during the British rule.
Ancient China too comprised of many warring kingdoms. The great Chinese Wall was constructed to defend original China from invaders. After many centuries of fighting China acquired its present size.
India too was ruled by many invaders for centuries and ultimately the whole of India was brought under the British rule. Although the British rulers started building infrastructures in India for their own business interests, most of the Indian wealth was transferred to Britain making India a very poor country.
Likewise, China was also invaded by many invaders over the centuries. Some parts of China were under foreign rules; but fortunately the whole of China as such was never under any foreign rule.
Opium wars in the 19th century
Two wars were fought. The British East India Company wanted to increase selling of opium in China to increase their business. The Chinese naturally resisted. The British East India Company used armed forces consisting of Indians belonging to the British East India Army to brutally crush the Chinese resistance. So, our Chinese friends bear a grudge against India. But our Chinese friends must remember that their resistance was crushed by the British East India Army and not by the Indians themselves or the Indian Army.
Our Chinese friends ought to remember that about two hundred thousand British Indian Army personnel laid down their lives in the two World Wars and other wars, although these wars, except the Second World War, had no direct bearings on India.
Likewise, China was also invaded by many invaders over the centuries. Some parts of China were under foreign rules; but fortunately the whole of China as such was never under any foreign rule.
Opium wars in the 19th century
Two wars were fought. The British East India Company wanted to increase selling of opium in China to increase their business. The Chinese naturally resisted. The British East India Company used armed forces consisting of Indians belonging to the British East India Army to brutally crush the Chinese resistance. So, our Chinese friends bear a grudge against India. But our Chinese friends must remember that their resistance was crushed by the British East India Army and not by the Indians themselves or the Indian Army.
Our Chinese friends ought to remember that about two hundred thousand British Indian Army personnel laid down their lives in the two World Wars and other wars, although these wars, except the Second World War, had no direct bearings on India.
Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to China
Rabindranath Tagore visited China after the First World War. As he was a great humanist, he preached universal brotherhood. As China had bitter experiences with turmoils, Rabindranath was not well received in China. But when Japan attacked China in 1937, Rabindranath severely criticized Japan for this. This showed that Indians supported China in times of duress.
Rabindranath Tagore visited China after the First World War. As he was a great humanist, he preached universal brotherhood. As China had bitter experiences with turmoils, Rabindranath was not well received in China. But when Japan attacked China in 1937, Rabindranath severely criticized Japan for this. This showed that Indians supported China in times of duress.
Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis in China
China was ravaged by internal and external conflicts. So, Chinese leaders requested Indian National Congress leaders to send a medical team to China. At that time, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was the Congress president. He arranged to send a team of five doctors to China. Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis (Chinese name Ke Dihua) was among them. This medical team attended to wounded soldiers; they also attended to soldiers wounded by the Japanese invasion in 1938. After a few years, four doctors of the medical team returned to India; but Dr. Kotnis settled down in China and died in 1942 while still serving in China as a doctor. To this day, the Chinese gratefully remember Dr. Kotnis and regard him as a hero. Dr. Kotnis is also considered by many as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between India and China. Dr. Kotnis himself had named his only child "Yinhua" combining the Chinese characters "Yin" for India and "Hua" for China.
Accidental Nuclear War
On September 26, 1983, the Soviet Union’s early warning missile attack system displayed that five ICBM missiles had been launched by the USA against the Soviet Union. The then duty officer Stanislav Petrov reasoned that it could be a false alarm; because the USA could not hope to destroy the Soviet Union by launching only five ICBMs as these might not be able to penetrate the Soviet air defense system. So, he decided to wait before retaliating. Then the early warning system displayed that it was a false warning. The world was thus saved from a nuclear disaster by S. Petrov’s calm thinking and reasoning.
But the dangers of accidental nuclear wars are more potent these days due to these weapons being in the hands of unstable countries .
China was ravaged by internal and external conflicts. So, Chinese leaders requested Indian National Congress leaders to send a medical team to China. At that time, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was the Congress president. He arranged to send a team of five doctors to China. Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis (Chinese name Ke Dihua) was among them. This medical team attended to wounded soldiers; they also attended to soldiers wounded by the Japanese invasion in 1938. After a few years, four doctors of the medical team returned to India; but Dr. Kotnis settled down in China and died in 1942 while still serving in China as a doctor. To this day, the Chinese gratefully remember Dr. Kotnis and regard him as a hero. Dr. Kotnis is also considered by many as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between India and China. Dr. Kotnis himself had named his only child "Yinhua" combining the Chinese characters "Yin" for India and "Hua" for China.
Accidental Nuclear War
On September 26, 1983, the Soviet Union’s early warning missile attack system displayed that five ICBM missiles had been launched by the USA against the Soviet Union. The then duty officer Stanislav Petrov reasoned that it could be a false alarm; because the USA could not hope to destroy the Soviet Union by launching only five ICBMs as these might not be able to penetrate the Soviet air defense system. So, he decided to wait before retaliating. Then the early warning system displayed that it was a false warning. The world was thus saved from a nuclear disaster by S. Petrov’s calm thinking and reasoning.
But the dangers of accidental nuclear wars are more potent these days due to these weapons being in the hands of unstable countries .
India-China War
I cannot imagine a full scale war between China and India. If there is such a full scale war India will be wiped off the globe; but China will also be grievously hurt setting it back by decades of development. Although China is the second largest economy in the world, the standard of living of its average citizens is much lower than the standards of living prevailing in Western Europe. So, how does China gain by indulging in a full scale war with India? It will be totally counterproductive.
I cannot imagine a full scale war between China and India. If there is such a full scale war India will be wiped off the globe; but China will also be grievously hurt setting it back by decades of development. Although China is the second largest economy in the world, the standard of living of its average citizens is much lower than the standards of living prevailing in Western Europe. So, how does China gain by indulging in a full scale war with India? It will be totally counterproductive.
Conclusion
As mentioned in the very beginning, India and China have thousands of years of cultural and scientific exchanges. The relations started souring from the middle of 1950s. I think the boundary disputes are temporary aberrations. India and China shall have to solve the boundary disputes through repeated negotiations. China and India, with help of all other major countries and economies, must engage in nuclear disarmament and neutralization of radioactive wastes and try to solve global warming, water and food shortages.
As mentioned in the very beginning, India and China have thousands of years of cultural and scientific exchanges. The relations started souring from the middle of 1950s. I think the boundary disputes are temporary aberrations. India and China shall have to solve the boundary disputes through repeated negotiations. China and India, with help of all other major countries and economies, must engage in nuclear disarmament and neutralization of radioactive wastes and try to solve global warming, water and food shortages.
As we know it today, our Earth is the only planet inhabited by human beings. It may also be that our Earth is the only planet in the Universe, or the Multiverses as the case may be, which harbor any form of life at all. As China and India are among the oldest civilizations, it is their joint responsibility, with the help of other major powers, to save our Earth from destruction.
I am very hopeful that in my lifetime the Chinese President will be the Chief Guest at the Indian Republic Day celebration.
I am very hopeful that in my lifetime the Chinese President will be the Chief Guest at the Indian Republic Day celebration.
