New potential for boosting China-India relations

Strong leadership has become the trend especially among major powers. Strong leaders, however, have to contend with external realities that often become deterministic in molding the outcomes of their initiatives.

The shrinking global leadership of the United States because of President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy and the Brexit crisis in Europe have prompted emerging economies — especially China — to play a leading role in redressing major global challenges. And now that he has established his Party leadership and synergized Party-State affairs at home, President Xi Jinping should focus on building constructive partnerships with rapidly emerging economies. This will be one of the prerequisites for maximizing outcomes from China’s unprecedented leverages.

Never before has China been so resourceful. This not only underwrites China’s enthusiasm for playing its historic global role but also explains why the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October and the National People’s Congress now have endorsed Xi’s leadership anew. That the NPC has approved new agencies, such as the National Supervisory Commission and the international development cooperation agency, to support the Belt and Road Initiative shows the leadership’s governance will enhance. There can be questions on specific contours and components of Xi’s vision but there is little doubt about its transformative potential and power. But this has also raised expectations that will have to be fulfilled.

As regards India, there is an increasing internalization of its growing asymmetry with China.