Dragon from the East
by Vinai Kumar Saxena
Dragon is a symbolism for fire breathing serpentine beast that can fly in from nowhere and create chaos in moments of time. Mythology is filled with that. Cinema has used it so effectively. A flick of the armoured tail of the dragon could erase towns and villages. And the terror a dragon silently brought even when it was invisible is something that can only be imagined and not explained.
The dragon always came from the east, faraway in the east, not without a reason. The Chinese emperors were obsessed with the dragon symbolism, because the dragon was the emblem of that supreme power that hid in their clenched fists. A fire-spewing dragon gliding in from the east is an ultimate imagination of terror, fire, destruction, death and cruelty that is unmatched even by your most villainous thoughts. A dragon is a complete evil.
Fire of the dragon
When in October 1949, Mao Zedong declared the country as People’s Republic of China, the seeds were sown for a hundred year takeover of the world and formation of a global Chinese empire. People have written about the abundance of expressions in Chinese documents that aspire for a grand Chinese supremacy in the world in 100 years of their so called revolution and formation of communism. Mao Zedong ruled with an iron fist till his death in 1976 and kept the country under severely controlled communism. By late 1970s and early 1980s, the fall of the Soviet Union had become imminent and in the post-Mao period, the world felt a kind of liberal socialism emerging out of China. In fact, the world mistook ‘post-Mao China to be a society aspiring for socialistic democracy. The western world overwhelmingly gave a helping hand to China to emerge into the world stage. Hundreds of billions of western dollars were spent on China in modernizing the State, developing industry, transferring vital technology and helping State-owned businesses. All the while, China had no intention to build a democratic fair society. It showcased socialism but pursued hardcore communism. In fact, it was global benevolence that unleashed the dragon and filled the fire in dragon’s belly to be spewed out in time. And mark my words – by 2049, the centennial year of Chinese Communist Revolution, the globe will be under the hellish fire of the dragon which it parented with goodwill. Because, 2049 is being touted as the year of rejuvenation of the People’s Republic of China, which is nothing but a hegemonistic ambition.
The wild fire and the cold fire of the dragon
There are two ways to conquer the world. One way is through direct military expansion and strategies while the other way is through softer options of remotely manipulating in the economy, politics, societal peace, health and hygiene, environment and food security and internal opposition to establishment. In the old world, only the militarization was the option. In the new world of technology, communication and shared resources, the non-military options turn out to be very effective and disastrous too. China has been mastering both. The new dragon has not only the wild fire in its mouth, it also has the cold fire in its belly.
Chinese Military aspirations
In 2020, the Department of Defense of United States sent an Annual Report to Congress, entitled “Military and Security Developments involving the Republic of China” (https://media.defense.gov/2020/Sep/01/2002488689/-1/-1/1/2020-DOD-CHINA-MILITARY-POWER-REPORT-FINAL.PDF). The report brought out some startling figures. China now has the largest number of battle ships – some 350 large frigates, which is way ahead of what even USA possesses. China has over 1250 Ground Launched Ballistic Missiles (GLBM) and Ground Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCM). In fact, India and USA only have GLBMs of some 300 kilometers reaching capacity whereas GLCMs that either of us have, are capable of striking up to 5000 kilometers away. In addition, China has the most robust surface to air integrated air defence architecture in the world, which is unmatched as yet in capacity and coverage. Besides, the nuclear arsenal, armaments, military bases and strategic military cooperation with countries are expanding every day. And China is in the advanced stage of negotiations (some already successful) to establish military bases in Djibouti, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania, Angola, and Tajikistan. Already, some islands and disputed lands in the South China Sea and the Pacific are in Chinese hands without a contest. With this, the hegemonistic empire in the Eastern part of the globe is already under the breath of the dragon. And its strength is such that it is almost impossible to contain its influence even for the west.
China’s foreign aid build-up
One big way in the modern world to influence countries to be subservient is by providing aid to the country and influencing the communities. International aids and international NGOs also work from within the countries at times and influence the cultural, socio-economic, socio-political and environmental justice systems, thereby determining the kind of development or non-development they want in such countries. China began this game soon after 1980s, had been pledging as much as 2% of GDP to foreign aid to impressionable countries. In official circles, it is recorded that China pays some US$ 5 billion in annual aid to countries for developmental projects and much more in terms of concessional loans, which bind the countries in its obligation. Aid Data group conducted the most detailed study on this aspect and stated that between 2000 and 2014, China gave about $75 billion and lent about $275 billion — compared to $424 billion given by America during the same period. A fifth of this Chinese aid, $75 billion, was in the form of grants given away. This is a systematic influence building exercise in countries in need. In 2018, China established Chinese International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), which became the flagship organisation for disbursing economic aid to countries in need, so that they could be subjugated to economic slavery of China in the long run. CIDCA disburses grants, interest free loans, concessional loans, low-concessional loans and several kinds of aid. Centre for Global Development has brought out clear description of CIDCA’s activities. (https://www.cgdev.org/publication/chinas-foreign-aid-primer-recipient-countries-donors-and-aid-providers#edn3). In the following map, one can see the number of countries and
their geographic locations, that have signed up with CIDCA for Chinese financial aid. And it is absolutely clear that these countries are located in very strategic global locations of Pacific Ocean rim, South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, Caspian Sea, Atlantic Ocean and the West African bight. One of the most notorious economic aids of CIDCA is the ‘Sovereign Guarantee Loan’, through which a developmental project in the country is identified and elaborated by China, built by a Chinese company and funded by a Chinese bank. This exposes the country’s information and sensitivity completely to China and because a Chinese company only builds the project, the company in an indirect manner begins to colonise the country. The American companies necessarily started scouting small and cheap labour countries to produce cheaper technology items. And most cheap labour countries are under the Chinese Sovereign Guarantee Loan grip and CIDCA assistance obligation.Under other aid schemes of China, about 140 countries are covered. In fact, Chinese international loans to countries surpasses 5% of global GDP. The grip of indebtedness of nations to China is tightening in time.A white paper from China also elaborates upon the foreign aid it is disbursing.(http://english.www.gov.cn/archive/white_paper/2014/08/23/content_281474982986592.htm).
Further, the Chinese population grown is now under severe State control and has reached below 0.4 percent, while India’s population growth rate is approximately 2.5 times more. With over 7% mortality rate, Chinese population is declining and it might just take a couple of years before India and China will have the same population, with India being a young population country in contrast to China. This will pose difficulty for China to manufacture goods at a cheaper price. Thus, it is important for Chinese hegemonistic ambition to see that it gets to a position of high influence in countries of cheap labour. In this regard, it is important for us to notice that those countries under immense Chinese aid and benevolence, such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Bangladesh etc. have population growth rate anywhere between 1 to 2 %, thereby ensuring that China will have access to young and cheap labour around the world in the coming years to meet its aspirations to become the undisputed superpower by 2049.
China Standards 2035 for global domination
Yes. Xi Jinping’s China is displaying superpower ambitions. China is determined to secure that position – beg, borrow, steal, coerce or kill. And one very clever and completely conceited programme is establishing China Standards 2035 (https://www.cfr.org/blog/china-standards-2035-and-plan-world-domination-dont-believe-chinas-hype). In a world of high technology, every newer invention or application needs to be set into an international standard, with which the manufacturing of components and processes need to be matched. This area is still emerging and China is dominating every activity of developing a global standard. The Chinese vision is to establish around the world ‘China Standards 2035’, thereby the entire production process of technology applications will be governed by Chinese dictats. And the patents and intellectual rights will be garnered and State owned by China, thereby controlling the world of technology on the planet to the last inch.
Chinese footprints in the UN and international diplomacy
China’s membership at the five member Security Council is a historic fortune that China has used extremely well. Not just that, through CIDCO, hegemonistic power display, behind the curtain diplomacy and gradual occupation of almost every trade, technology, economic and political arena in the world, China has commanded enough influence already to polarize global diplomacy towards its gain.It has taken over several international organizations, including the prize catch of United Nations. When China curtailed political freedoms in Hong Kong last year,two rival declarations circulated at the UN Human Rights Council. One, drafted by Cuba and commending Beijing’s move, won the backing of 53 nations. Another, issued by the U.K. expressing concern, secured just 27 supporters. That demonstrated Chinese power at the UN. Last summer, China won a seat on UN Human Rights Panel with help from countries it has supported. In the thick of the Pandemic last year, Trump’s USA left WHO. That became a strategic gift in disguise to China and it filled the vacuum created at WHO. US left UNESCO on the issue of Palestine and China rushed to fill in the gap created. Out of 15 specialized UN agencies, China already leads four including International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). After taking over the leadership of ITU, China patronized the fight of Huawei Technologies with USA and has now pushed forward a case for establishing a new internet protocol that allows more surveillance and censorship. No other nation in the world heads more than one UN agency, while China heads four. With its growing power and grip over nations, China has risen to a power pedestal of warning nations to tow its line. Recently, it threatened Bangladesh with dire consequences if it joined the Quad consisting of USA, Japan, Australia and India.
China takes over mines across the world
One of the major resources on which the human race subsists and sustains is mineral wealth. Mineral deposits is a strategic instrument of trade and development. By the end of 2018, China had already taken over vital mines in over 36 countries of the world for all kinds of mineral extraction including gold, uranium and lithium, which are strategic in commerce, military power and technology (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13563-020-00233-4/tables/1). China invests anywhere between 15 to 25 billion US$ annually on mine acquisition around the world.
Dragon spit is an invisible volcano
While all above are seemingly legitimate colonization of the world, so that China can realise its ambitious plan of becoming world’s greatest and undisputed power by 2049, China does not leave any stone unturned in destroying the progress of nations that look like hurdles in its path to progress. China has been brazenly involved in and suspected to be involved in several global extremities and disastrous events that undermine the progress of nations and paves way for Chinese hegemonistic ambitions.
The most famous pandemic in the history of mankind
It is already well established that the COVID 19 virus was manufactured in a laboratory in China and was let loose on the world, where in over a year now, more than 3.3 million people have lost lives and a much larger number of families have descended into untold misery. If we look at the list of death by countries (https://www.statista.com/statistics/1093256/novel-coronavirus-2019ncov-deaths-worldwide-by-country/), we will see that over half a million died in USA, the biggest trade and military rival of China. Brazil and India, which are the two major members of the BRIC countries that together could make a formidable power of challenge to China have collectively recorded over another half a million deaths. Western European countries that are allies of USA and are power partners in the UN, NATO and dominate the world of commerce and military under the patronaging partnership of USA, have collectively seen another half a million deaths. Actually, a laboratory manufactured agent of death has been unleashed into countries that are the major threat and hurdle in the marathon 100 year run of China to reach the coveted podium as world’s largest super power. In about a year, not just death, the health and hygiene framework and the economic fabric of these countries have been damaged to such an extent that the recovery could take years. On top of that, these nations, mostly democratic, have now acquired people’s ire due to unquantifiable suffering, and very stable political governance systems have been shaken to the core. This kind of warfare has never been witnessed before in human history.
From the same list of countries, one may observe that countries in the neighborhood of these strategic nations have not been so much affected by the Chinese virus at all. Is it a coincidence or a conspiracy that nations like Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, most of which have societies that are closely linked to India’s in trade, cultural exchange, familial relations and interactive through our perforated border do not have the viral infection anywhere near to the proportion in India? Is it a coincidence or conspiracy that a similar disparity in the viral spread happens across Europe and only NATO countries get severely affected and not the eastern nations on that continent? Why and how is that a Chinese virus affects only countries that may have a capacity to successfully control the hegemonistic ambitions and not the countries that secure aid and assistance from China and remain subservient to the growing power of the dragon? This is only possible with the help of a laboratory generated virus and not through an organism spun out of organic evolution. For this very reason, India should never accept the vaccine, medicines or any material of mass consumption originating from China, because we could just become sitting ducks for a conspiracy that is deep and wide and is brought out through a careful fusion of science, technology and hegemonistic strategy.
Suspicion of the dragon footprint
We are living in times when completely unthinkable and what we thought as impossible have begun to happen. This month, a rocket launched by China fell back into sea and space agencies have wondered what might have fallen from it into the Indian Ocean. We all remember not may years ago, across the world, unsolicited packets of seeds arrived at people’s doors from China and agriculture experts warned people not to sow them, for they might be seeds that will destroy the native species and obliterate our food security. Australia is in the eye of the storm of the dragon because of its developmental position in south east and scientists wonder if there is any Chinese connection to the devastating wildfire of last year that burned for weeks on end. For scientists, the devastating glacier burst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, which lies in Chinese proximity, is also an unusual and rare occurrence in the peak winter months when the Himalayan glaciers remain in the deep frozen state. Technology companies in the Silicon Valley are increasingly being established and led by people of Chinese origin, which might help in China in global surveillance and information collection. Zoom, the leading Video Conferencing facility has been blamed on that count and nations have suspected that information from secretive and strategic video conferences may have already reached Chinese information archives.
Fire of the dragon and the withering sustainability of India
A recent publication of NITI Aayog has elaborately traced the character of India’s rural economy and put into perspective the importance of rural sustainability of the nation (https://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/document_publication/Rural_Economy_DP_final.pdf). Although India is in a transitionary state of economic resurgence, 68.8 % of the nation’s population and 72.4 % of nation’s workforce are from rural areas. Nearly half of India’s National Domestic Product (NDP) is still rural. While 96 % of agricultural employment is rural, 48.6 % of non-agricultural employment too is rural. Because of this, sustainable development of India depends predominantly on rural industriousness, productivity, dynamics and livelihood quality. The efforts of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) are intricately linked to this horizon of rural sustainable development of India through nearly 100 different kinds of rural industrial entrepreneurship and handholding activities. KVIC has been sustaining a major part of village industries in India through over 40 Offices spread across the nation, around 5,000 aligned institutions, 23 Departmental Sales Outlets and around 8035 Khadi sales outlets /Khadi Bhavans run by Khadi Institutions. The direct beneficiaries organized through this mechanism exceed 15 million people, while indirect beneficiaries run into several additional millions. If you put together the direct, indirect associated and familial beneficiaries of this carefully hand raised and sustained sector, it could well over be a billion people in the lifeline of village industries sustainable development programmes.
China understands the socio-economic and socio-political power of this community and its influence on the mainstream life of our nation. And it engages itself in a calculated and consistent manner in which this delicate balance could be obliterated, so that the nation can be hollowed from within.
In taking some examples of this phenomenon, the Agarbatti (Incense stick) industry stands out. Out of the half a million metric ton agarbatti requirement and production in India annually, over 80% raw material came from China and Vietnam.
Even the national flag of India that is only made with Khadi cotton or silk fabric was not spared by Chinese invasion. Counterfeit national flags made of plastic and other artificial material from China flooded Indian markets forcing the current government to place the National Flag under prohibited category of import in October 2019.
Similarly, the traditional Indian Silk Industry, the heritage art of clay pottery, handmade paper, leather industry were driven to the verge of extinction. Imagine, the idols of Indian deities were made in China and worshipped in Indian households. Toys, honey, minerals, and dozens of other natural resources based village industries have been rendered unproductive due to Chinese economic aggression of pushing through our market a subsidized and quality compromised product till recently, until the present government made corrections by imposing higher import duty and import restrictions on such Chinese products. It will, however, take years for the Indian village industries to recuperate from the Chinese intrusion and be self-reliant in all respects.
One can imagine the invasion of the dragon. The fire is not in the borders that guard the nation. The fire is burning the nation to its core and is devouring the integrity, national character and our very ways of existence. And we have unconsciously allowed that.
An attack of socio-cultural character and heritage
Beside trade, a number of these developments are an attack on the socio-cultural character and heritage. Offering silk Angavastram (stole) to guests in North Eastern states and Leh Laddakh is an old tradition. Making Angavastram in these states was part of village industry which was providing jobs to thousands of local artisans, mostly women. China has captured this heritage art too by flooding cheap artificial silk stoles. Not just here alone, the heritage headgear Keffiyeh of Babylonian/Mesopotamian origin Palestine which the Arab civilization guarded as its heritage symbol is now made in China and Keffiyeh factories have systematically closed shop in the Arab world. Travel anywhere in the world and buy a memento or a curio of a memorabilia of your visit to the Statue of Liberty or Fountain of Trevi or Eiffel Tower or Taj Mahal or Burj Khalifa, the probability is that it is made in China and the enchanting global diversity is engulfed by the dragon fire of hegemonistic monopoly.
A dragon that is enormously intelligent and equally evil
If a nation has to survive and protect itself into future from the aggressive invasion of China through seen and unseen belly fire of the dragon, it has to think of all scenarios that until now may never have been imagined. Can some seeds destroy our crop, biodiversity and food security? Can something dropped from the air can contaminate our rains and water bodies and multiply there to cover us in risk over time. Can some material that arrives from China remain dormant for a while and gradually uncoil like a serpent and slither around in effect? Can a vaccine imported from China have an ingredient that could bring out a larger demon into our lungs or heart than the Corona virus? I know we are thinking of the evil, but as the old adage goes, forewarned is forearmed.
The dragon is an embodiment of determination and mind application. If a lab made virus can be selectively unleashed to destroy the potential competitors in progress, there is a devilish finesse in the application of scientific imagination. It should not be beyond imagination now to believe that the dragon could use the elements of nature to its advantage. The jet streams in the air, the ocean currents, tectonic dynamics, raging forces of climate change, monsoon system or El Nino – nothing is beyond a determined dragon. This may sound being paranoid. A non-democratic and stable autocracy of a bunch of leaders that believe in ruthless communism powers the engine of action. And the dragon is never short of belly fire.
Therefore, the future is uncertain. The dragon that hovers over us from the sky spewing fire in every breath uses methods that are visible, invisible and unpredictable. And the dragon is ruthless and uncompassionate. It has one singular purpose in its mind, which is to acquire the crown of world emperorship by 2049, whatever it takes. Its power is so unchallenged and determination so unwavering that we do not know if the air that we breathe and the rains that fall from sky are as pure and natural as they have been before.
India as a nation needs to remain integrated, united and resolute in thwarting the advance of the dragon. Because, the dragon sleeps at a breathing distance from us. And we are perceived to be a potential power that can slay the dragon. We need a vision that will not be blinded by fire or darkness.
About Vinai Kumar Saxena: He is the Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Government of India, New Delhi