The Bluster of Boycott

The trouble with China has had its worst flare up in over 50 years.  We have lost 20 brave-heart soldiers at the LAC in Ladakh.  Unconfirmed reports suggest that there has been loss of lives on the other side too.  What sets this flare up is the brutality of the killings - use of barbed batons and boots to assail and pushing them down the ravines - showing a sadistic side of the enemy. 

The government and the Armed Forces are grappling with the problem, and are at the negotiation table with the Chinese side to resolve the impasse.  Internationally too, the face-off has caused ripples - and criticism of the Chinese hegemony and high-handedness.  India rightly has rejected the offers of mediation by other nations. 

Naturally most Indians are upset at these developments.  There are frequent calls to ban Chinese goods, give up Chinese apps, even Chinese food, and so on.  Stories on the net show people burning effigies of Chinese leaders (a faux pas from Assam showed North Korean leader's effigy being burnt), destroying Chinese made products. WhatsApp forwards are countless that tell us what are Chinese apps and how we could replace them with apps that are non-Chinese/Indian. Even traders associations have given calls to stop imports from China.  Some stories of government contracts awarded to Chinese firms being foreclosed, new contracts being reworked to avoid Chinese grabbing them have been reported too.

Of course the calls for banning anything Chinese are impractical and beat logic.  There is an iota of Chinese left in us no matter how much we would remove.  We can ban the goods now, but can we give up everything we have already bought and destroy them? Can we dismantle all the networks that we have installed in the country through Chinese firms? So many new ventures (and old) have Chinese investments - PayTM, Ola, Swiggy, Flipkart, to name a few.  In all possibility, you are reading this on your Chinese-made phone.  I have typed it on a Chinese-made desktop even though the firm is American.  And, those mobiles sold with 'made in India' label are either Chinese-owned or import electronics from China.  Our dependence on China is not just limited to electronics but extends to what is hoarded most by Indians, gold.  Even the kites that are flown during festivals, lights lit during Deepavali, come from China.  

Even if we succeed to ban and boycott Chinese goods, and end up destroying everything that has come from China, how can give up those that are part of our everyday life? Rice, the staple food of most Indians originates from China.  The morning tea that invigorates everyone has its roots in China, and was brought to India by the British.  The many kind of silks we pride in - Benares, Mysore, Muga, Kanjeevaram - are made possible because of silk that was discovered in China.  History and quiz buffs would also point out that paper printing and currency too have their origins in China. 

And, how easy it is to give up Chinese cuisine? Maggi noodles is everyone’s staple. We have even transformed our own recipes and made them oriental. From Chinese masala dosa to Chinese bhel. Invention is the key here. 

We take pride in our exports to the world.  Buddhism went from India to China.  Scholars from China came to study Buddhism during various historical epochs.  We beam that karate originated in India.  So did badminton, which today is dominated by the Chinese in the world.  We beam that plastic surgery has its origins in India. 

While the public reaction is natural owing to the aggression of the enemy, it is not prudent. Protests against Chinese action is valid and justified.  We could take as many rallies against it and burn effigies.  But inciting action in trade may not be in the right direction for the country as a whole.  We today have a trade deficit of over $50 billion with China, and only recently have our exports started expanding.  As wise men say, we should learn to keep politics and business separate.  We are bound by WTO in international trade practices.  And, going against those practices would be detrimental to the country. 

External affairs and foreign policy are best left to the Governments to deal with.  The governments have their own mechanisms, thinktanks, advisers, ministers, et al, to advise and act.  And, they would have the best interest of the nation in their minds while dealing with the aggressor.  We might have our opinions and critiques; but they are best for arm-chair discussions.

What we as citizens can surely do though is: encourage elimination of apps and products that are of no use.  Like many kinds of plastics.  Like the environmentally unsafe diyas and kites. And industries could change tack, and get into using recycled resources.  Plus invest in their own R&D to reduce reliance on external help.  It is time to think positive and invent new ideas.  And, give a pause to the negative emotions.