China vs. India: who’s winning?

[ChinaToday]

The Cold War witnessed a space race and an arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. In our own era, the great competition may be the growth race between China and India. In The New York Review of Books, Amartya Sen asks the obvious question: Which country has the better quality of life?

Illuminating thoughts from the world of IdeasThe answer, of course, depends on what you value. India has built a democratic society, and its citizens enjoy tremendous civic freedoms; at the same time, the country is still struggling with economic inequality. In China, prosperity has been more widely shared, but political freedoms have been slow in coming.

On the whole, Sen finds, life in China is better: Life expectancy is longer, child mortality is lower, and the literacy rate is higher. Nearly all Chinese children have received immunizations against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus; in India, only 66 percent have received them. Democracy matters, of course, in a qualitative way. But, Sen writes, “When we consider the impact of economic growth on people’s lives, comparisons favor China over India.”

Moving forward, Sen sees the challenge in democratic India as one of attention. Indians have to keep the political discussion focused on issues of inequality. In China, by contrast, the challenge has to do with accountability. Decisions are made from the top down, and people have little recourse against their government. In both cases, it’s important to look beyond broad measurements like gross national product. Growth has been important, but in the coming decades, politics might be even more so.

China vs. India: who’s winning? - The Boston Globe

 

[somebozo]

The Arabs are largest suppliers of energy to the world..and they really trust the Chinese more than Indians any day..
Then is the GCC which has traditionally been closer to Pakistan and growing closer..A trade and mutual security pact is on the way..
Thirdly, Sino-Pakistan relations are very strong which makes them a confederated tri-party force together with GCC when dealing world affairs.
What happens on the oil front is fore runner to global policies.

India is fast cozying up to involve USA in regional politics a move opposed by both Asian powers ie: Russia and China.

Therefore, China is winning...

 

[oct605032048]

Neither would win if there is to be a cold war between the two countries but india may lose more if it starts one.

 

[roadrunner]

These comparisons are very very foolish.

China is many years ahead of India and always will be. It's only American media that hypes up the Indians.

The rest of the world, or at least the Asian part of the world, knows who will have the upper hand.

India will be a reasonable power, but not a superpower on the same level as the Chinese, and I doubt it will ever surpass even the Americans.

 

[siegecrossbow]

This thread is gonna be a troll magnet. Just giving my warning.

 

[StingRoy]

India cannot afford to be in a cold war race with China. The US has been drumming this up to sell more weapons to India.

 

[Madmen]

Between India and China in terms of economic, social, environmental, military, industrial, academic and even political development I would say that China is ahead.

 

[wmdisinfo]

u cannot even think india is any state to compete with china.check ur tv ur phone microwave toaster airconditioner laptop pocket pc you will find made in china on it all so thats the barometer and china has won it already india can sell spice in market no electronics

 

[Varad]

In most of the parameters China is winning hands down. But i will consider it India's great achievement that it has managed to get the limelight among world leading countries like USA, Germany, China etc. I beleive we should not get in a cold war and get things done in our own good time. First priority should be economy.China was a 1.4 trillion economy in 2002 and we are in 2011 i.e a gap of 9 years. I dont think we have done bad considering China opening of markets in 1978 and ours in 1991 (13 years gap). So, yes we have closed it down but still will need effective policies in terms of trade and infrastructure.

 

[JanjaWeed]

india itself doesn't consider to be in a race with china! & no sane indian will think that india is in a position to overtake china!! but yes.. india does consider china as a benchmark to reach it's goal & there is nothing wrong in that! let's be realistic.. india needs to achieve a lot to reach chinese level.. & it's a good thing that indians realise this fact!! then again.. i think more than indians.. it's others who are keen to draw comparisions between india & china, there is nothing you can do about that!!

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

In most of the parameters China is winning hands down. But i will consider it India's great achievement that it has managed to get the limelight among world leading countries like USA, Germany, China etc. I beleive we should not get in a cold war and get things done in our own good time. First priority should be economy.China was a 1.4 trillion economy in 2002 and we are in 2011 i.e a gap of 9 years. I dont think we have done bad considering China opening of markets in 1978 and ours in 1991 (13 years gap). So, yes we have closed it down but still will need effective policies in terms of trade and infrastructure.

The GDP of China and India was at a similar level in 1990.

So in terms of GDP, we started from the same place at the same time.

 

[StingRoy]

u cannot even think india is any state to compete with china.check ur tv ur phone microwave toaster airconditioner laptop pocket pc you will find made in china on it all so thats the barometer and china has won it already india can sell spice in market no electronics

We are discussing cold war here, not home appliances war. Please read the article before you jump into a discussion.

 

[Varad]

The GDP of China and India was at a similar level in 1990.

So in terms of GDP, we started from the same place at the same time.

Well this shows the strength of the Indian trade fraternity. It took China 13 years after implementing economic policies to come to the level of a closed market economy like India. Then started the China boom. In 1991 when we were about to go bankcrupt we opened our markets, by that time China had all the infrastructure to clock such growth. The Indian boom has just started but will need effective policies to maintain it.

 

[wmdisinfo]

We are discussing cold war here, not home appliances war. Please read the article before you jump into a discussion.

you are not killing eachother in a proxy war.nowadays wars are fought with economy not with with guns and economically china is 50 years ahead of you if china wants they can collapse your economy by dumping trade in dollar and green back is your currency reserve will be worth a ton of news paper.accept it china is way ahead of you.you are in a race with pakistan not china china is your dad in economics and defence shooting down sattiltes and your missiles test fails

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Well this shows the strength of the Indian trade fraternity. It took China 13 years after implementing economic policies to come to the level of a closed market economy like India. Then started the China boom. In 1991 when we were about to go bankcrupt we opened our markets, by that time China had all the infrastructure to clock such growth. The Indian boom has just started but will need effective policies to maintain it.

That's because Chinese economic reforms were very minor to start with, and confined to very small regions of the country. Which were called "Special Economic Zones".

It only really started to take off nation-wide after 1990.