A clothing brand will rain you with discounts; a nearest mall will offer you freebies and discounts. You will be enticed by the offer and lap it all in not realizing it left you bleeding. There is no free lunch anywhere, is there? But who thinks about it huh? You would rather throw obscenities to your local store who is honest with you in business but dont offer discounts. Count the pennies you save in the long run.
Anyway, so there are gifts being bestowed by The Dragon to countries in South Asia, Caribbean, Oceanic islands.......Male, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, Pakistan....either in kind or as infrastructure. Its sudden interest and closeness to Myanmar due to probable resurgence of democracy may have caused it a panic attack of losing a Red foothold.
Otherwise? Build and gift a new port in Hambantotta in Lanka only to lease it for 100 odd years or so; gain a upper hand in the trade routes in Indian ocean or be friends and offer human resources to construct modern highways. Influence Nepal and strengthen its hold on Tibet by gifting them a nice complex (I forgot what that complex was for). Forget it; one cannot value the sops provided to Pakistan its close ally. It showed its concern during the recent political turmoil in Male while India kept mum; inviting the wrath of the Male government which considered India as its ally.
The Dragon's economic might has rolled up to America's doorstep now - in the Caribbean. A $35 million cricket stadium in Bahamas to start with. The island of Dominician Republic got a school while Antigua and Barbados got a power plant and a stadium while school is on the way. It just starts. Trinidad & Tobago's PM got a new makeover to her official residence, all thanks to the Dragon.
Loans galore from companies and such lavish gifts from government in the form of roads, stadiums, schools, ports in a region where US has flexed its muscles all the while. Now Uncle Sam should have woken up already. The wings brushed every corner of the world and now at US's footsteps would definitely garner interests. The Chinese have done it right; they are not building any military ties; so no threat to security. Instead they have hit the keg deep; the right keg and the picket fence is tiny but will be strong in terms of securing economic and political support. These countries could not have counted on anyone else apart from US and Canada and maybe Europe. That will change now. They will continue to get billions of dollars of grants and loans; strengthening trade and tourism and new allies.
About long term impacts, one has to wait and watch since there is nothing like a free lunch ;-)
The Dragon will continue flying; while we turn our heads away
The Dragon is ambitious and focused unlike us who have lost it somewhere and have a long way to catch up with them:(
ReplyDeleteRahul,
DeleteYeah but there definitely is a hidden agenda and thinking of it; its scary!
Dragon has its tail burning, with not-so-cool-conditions in home turf.
ReplyDeleteIn some of the regions military is only way to hold turf.
So lets see how it turns out to be.
By the way, you have done quiet a home work on dragon's foot prints. :)
Thats true in every country right? There is no country with no domestic issues. Whats important is how focused the dragon is even with all its domestic issues.
DeleteAll I do is keep myself uptodate on current affairs and wherever I travel (outside India) I do hear lot of mentions about the Dragon having done some help.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteB, I wonder if I have noticed a similar topic in your Blog.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless the subject is relevant.
In the 1970s and the 80s it was the economic and business acumen of the Japanese, triggered by their post war enterprise, that bludgeoned the USA. Remember their automotive industries went cropper unable to stand up to the Japs, electronics, and even the motion picture Cos. But the Japs did not have an agenda beyond economics and business. Moreover they were restrained by treaties post war. But they were street smart and innovative while the Americans were haughty and dead woods.
But the matter is different with the Chinese. Who knows that they will not do an East India Company in the future? The British and their East India Co went around for trade and then eventually dominated politically.
I do not trust the Chinese. They are cunning and smart while Indians are dumb myopic and bickering internally. Soon they may surround us with their trade posts in Male, Srilanka. Burma, Bangladesh and Nepal. Pakis are already with them. Then it may not take much time to cut off the narrow strip of land between Assam – Sikkim and W.Bengal to effectively seal Indians trapped in either side. The land is only about 25 miles or so. Mayl take a minute for the Dragon army to overrun. And perhaps our military trucks may even break down.
Anil,
ReplyDeleteI did a search on my archival. Maybe or maybe not. My memory is waning :) I wrote this due to the recent development in the Caribbean, Male and Myanmar and my previous 2 trips to neighboring countries - I could hear the locals beaming with pride the gifts bestowed on them by the Chinese.
Yeah, thats a radical thought of yours Balan. But yeah who knows? I dont believe anyone would just lavish you with freebies without a reason. The help they are offering to all our neigbors is what really worries and its alarming. Male, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka....Its really scary; complemented by our domestic issues and the government's interests or the lack of it.
Oh yeah! the trucks may just break down :)
Identity crisis , B,? You are mixing me and Balan ( read your comment ) ha that is fine.
DeleteHahahaha I think I have gone bonkers Anil. I address you and then bring Balan here. Please accept my humble apologies. While I was responding to your comment, I was also remind myself to respond to Balan's email lest I forgot and you see the result. I am certainly stressed. Sorry Anil, will not happen again.
DeleteWhen we talk of the Dragon,we have our tail between our legs.
ReplyDeleteChowla sir, yeah yeah :)
ReplyDeleteI agree the hidden agenda often goes unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteRachna, Yeah true
ReplyDeleteSince you have replied in advance,w hat should I write! :-D
ReplyDeleteThere is a deep underlying threat in the way Chinese are pushing their stuff. It is reminiscent of the way once Americans used to do long ago. Perhaps it is time for another Swadeshi Movement...
Impressive ! You really keep yourself well informed on current affairs.I echo Balan here ...it is time for another Swadeshi moment .
ReplyDeletekavita,
DeleteThanks, its just reading about their activities everywhere and I traveled to Nepal and Sri Lanka, heard locals praise the Chinese for the gifts!
Balan,
ReplyDelete:-D Hahaha
Its obvious Balan, no one does anything for free. True that!