Posted on 04/11/2005 4:45:11 AM PDT by Jeff Head
NEW DELHI - India and China, the world's two most populous countries, agreed on Monday to create a "strategic partnership" in an effort to end their longstanding border dispute and boost trade and economic cooperation.
The agreement signaled a significant shift in relations between the two Asian giants after decades of mutual distrust and suspicion.
"India and China can together reshape the world order," Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said after a welcome ceremony for his Chinese counterpart, Premier Wen Jiabao, at India's presidential palace.
Together the two nations account for one-third the world's population.
The statement announcing the partnership was signed by both premiers and said the agreement would promote diplomatic relations, economic ties and contribute to the two nations "jointly addressing global challenges and threats."
India-China relations have "acquired a global and strategic character," it said.
"The leaders of the two countries have therefore agreed to establish an India-China strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity," the statement said.
Completely agree with you.
In that statement, substitute Russia (Stalin) for India, and Germany (Hitler) for China and you have just as unlikely (actually, at the time I believe it would have been considered even more unlikely) a statement. Yet it happened at the beginning of WWII as those two superpowers carved up Europe.
For sure India is taking care of India here. But China is emerging rapidly in terms of economic influence and military...if such a pact works and if it benefits the Indians, over time, they will naturally mopve further into that sphere of influence. That's all, and that would be disaterous for the US IMHO.
See my 101.
I was not aware of the extent of the pretty much exact copy of the Hummer by the Red Chinese. Apparently, by leaving it there for them to "study" we in essence gave it to them.
>>are not going to invade other countries like they used to...
no, they just immigrate there now and win elections.
India and Chian are peer competitors. A border and trade agreement is good for all because is reduces the chance of an outbreak of conflict between them. Stability benefits all of us.
BTW, no offense, I am sure your story is good and well researched, but don't you ever tire of hocking your book here?
If asked to stop refering to my books by the management, I will. As it it, the series was and is a project that sends a constitutional and moral message about our current circumstances as a people, along with a potential warning about geo-political conditions. As such, and in answer to your question, no, I do not grow tired of discussing it.
Check out this news about the Sino/Indian strategic agreement...and then the coincidence of it being announced on the exact date (April 11, 2005) that the same news was announced in the first book of my fictional series, written in 2001. Strange.
Jeff, you're a prophet and don't know it. The only difference between reality and your book is that IF these guys get out of line, they will be slammed so hard and fast that it will make the Franco-Prussian War look long :)
I hope we take the steps necessary now to prevent that from becoming necessary...in a land war in Asia, I am not so sure it will be pout back in the bottle all that fast and without horrendous cost...but I am confidant of the ultimate outcome.
If I were selling a book, I might do the same I suppose. But your modest tagline really says it all for me. Every time I see that, as a targeted consumer, I am reminded of your product, and I appreciate that reminder more than suggestions that any writer has nailed the future in a fiction series. Not saying thats what your doing either.
Just thoughts. And again, meant well, not an attack.
Regards,
In the Mex. war, Mexican generals boldly predicted they would re-take New Orleans and Mobile for Mexico, and some even said they could invade D.C.
It's like the predictions of doom and gloom going into Afghanistan. I disagree with the notion that a "land war in Asia is the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time." It's only wrong if it's fought wrong. The best weapon we have against China is that segment of its population that is oppressed, because they are potential allies---as Mao found out.
Again, thanks for the perspective.
And I agree that the population in China is one of the best weapons we have. In the series the ROC used it early on to some advantage, but because of the prosperity their new economic pacts were bringing in, the government in that series did let it trickle down enough to not be able to take full advantage of it. It is not unitl the end, when the hammer is falling, that the Chinese people rise up in full against their government...and spare us the prospect of a full invasion.
I believe something like that will occur at some point...it's just a matter of how painful it ends up being for us IMHO.
As always, thanks for the good insight and input.
The British (twice), the Spanish, the Mexicans, the Germans (twice), the Japanese, the Koreans and Chinese, and the list goes on through today, have underestimated the US Military fighting man and all who support him. In so doing, what they have really underestimated is the drive for freedom based on republican principles and unalienable rights, and the moral, peaceful life-style that it engenders. Those drives are stronger than power cravings, greed, pure nationalism, hate or any other...and is at the root behind the money we spend, the training we impart, and the latitude we allow our fighting forces and their success IMHO.
So we gave China our hardware technology and India our software technology and now they are forming an alliance to dominate the world's tech industry.
Again, hope you can find the quotation (we may have it someplace in PHUSA), because it really is a good one.
I think George Soros wrote this.
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