One has to take a more cautious view on China. The process of improving bilateral and diplomatic relations with China was initiated during the regime of the previous Government—the Congress Government. At that time the Government had an awareness of the situation in China and most of the Asian region, an awareness based on a realistic assessment. We would like to know from the present Government if. China has changed since we made the assessment. If one wants to make an assessment of the situation in a country like China, one must not take a view merely on the joint statement issued in Peking at the end of the foreign minister's visit. China is one of the important countries in the world and it behaves like a big country. It is a big country from many angles. But what is China's attitude towards its neighbours, towards the world situation? What is China's world view? When one thinks in terms of relationship and friendship with China, one will have to take these aspects into consideration.
What is China's world view? It firmly believes in a third world war. It doesn't believe in detente. It is of the view that unless there is a third world war, there is no hope of a further '' resolution. Again has China changed its attitude towards its neighbours? I do not believe it has. India had its experience of China's attitude in 1962. Vietnam had its experience in 1979. The Chinese mind has not registered any material change. Mao and Chou En-lai may no longer be there. Instead we have Teng. Hua and others. As far as its neighbours are concerned, the Chinese attitude has not changed at all.
I remember after the 1962 war, I had a talk with one of the ministers of a foreign country who had attended a conference to consider the Colombo proposals. The story he told me was that during his visit to China, he was told by Liu Shao-chi, the then President of the Chinese Republic, to tell the "Indian friends that if they do not learn lessons we will do it again, again and again". In other words, China would attack India again and again. That was an indication of China's mind towards its neighbours. China believes in teaching lessons to its neighbours, small and big. The Chinese leaders believe that China is a Middle Kingdom and is a country which should dictate terms to others. One should not forget the psychology the Chinese have: and it is with this knowledge one should try to improve bilateral relations.
China is considering a long-term programme of modernisation. They talk of four modernisations— modernisation of industry, modernisation of agriculture, modernisation of technology and modernisation of defence preparedness. They are working with the perspective of what China should be in 2000 A.D. What is the perspective with which India is working? Is India only working with the perspective that the foreign minister's visit to China has made a good impression?
