How to Approach the Elephant: Chinese Perceptions of India in the Twenty-first Century

Abstract

Within the first half of this century the international political system will include two new rising powers—India and China. These two countries will effect great changes on the dynamics of the U.S. hegemonic framework; exactly how these changes will manifest themselves remains speculative. While Sino-American and Indo-American economic and political exchanges will be scrutinized, mulled over, and rehashed, the relationship between China and India demands equal attention. These two rising giants will flourish nearly simultaneously, an economic and geopolitical phenomenon unrivaled in recorded history. Policies between the two countries will be a direct reflection of their perceptions of each other. Academic literature and media coverage of India's perceptions of China is bountiful, but because of language and cultural barriers information on perceptions going the other direction—from China toward India—is limited at best. This article helps fill this gap in the academic literature. A fresh look at Chinese perceptions of India for the twenty-first century has been gleaned from a review of current literature and media and, more importantly, through primary research with contemporary scholars, bureaucrats, and journalists.

Keywords:

• India-China relations
• India-China-U.S. relations
• South Asia geopolitics