There are also not many other countries that have engaged each other for so many centuries as modern nations. Countless Indians and Chinese have visited each other's country through the ages and written about their experiences and their views of each other. Yet there is still much more for both countries to know about each other. Veteran journalist and writer Shastri Ramachandaran adds to our knowledge of China, of the complex relationship between the two countries, and of India itself in his latest book CHINDIA, Journey to an Asian Century.

Shastri is best placed to write about India and China because he has studied China for decades and worked as a journalist in China between 2008 and 2022. He has worked for China Daily and Global Times in China and was editor of China-India Dialogue, published by the China International Publishing Group.

Clear narrative

The book is divided into five sections in which the theme is introduced ('Scoping out China'), developed through the characters and events ('Elephant and the Dragon', 'India-China Cooperation', 'All the World is a Stage') and resolved with a hopeful vision ('The Asian Century Future'). Knowingly or perhaps unknowingly, the writer has adopted the five-act structure of plays, ideal for narratives that evolve through the words and actions of characters. Shastri presents his story from a distance even when he is close to the events that he reports and comments on. This brings clarity and authority to his narrative.

If dealing with China has been a challenge for diplomats, reporting and writing about the country has posed equally difficult challenges for journalists. Shastri's focus is on India-China relations even when he writes about other countries and other topics. He concludes that China has no option, in the prevalent international climate, but to come to terms with India and create conditions for the two countries to coexist.

India, on its part, should deal with China in more effective ways. One tried and tested approach, he says, is to deal with China exactly as the US does, and not as Washington advises New Delhi to do. Issues such as the boundary dispute and the 1962 war, the intrusions and the skirmishes and stand-offs, including those in the Galwan Valley and Doklam, the pinned visa issue, the mutual visits of leaders, and the growing but unbalanced trade - are slotted, studied and commented on.

Telling perspectives

Many of Shastri's observations are telling and insightful - for instance, his thoughts that China has achieved great progress as a developing economy but as a developing society it has lagged behind. For all the modern infrastructure and industrial development, vast sections of society are still stuck with customs and practices better suited to periods gone by. He recognises the corruption, the human rights violations and the authoritarian ideas and practices that are part of the system.

The book is also about the world which impacts both India and China and is impacted by them. Apart from the US, Russia and other major countries, South Asian countries and Africa, organisations such as the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), and BRICS (platform for strengthening emerging and developing economies) also figure in the analyses. Copious data on trade, the economy, political events, talks and agreements, apart from dates and names, make the book well-rounded, strong on facts and discerning in its interpretation.

This is Shastri's second book on China after Beyond Binaries: The World of India and China. CHINDIA complements it and will be a valuable aid for scholars, diplomats, researchers and readers.