China signals who’s the boss in BRIC

A talk show on China’s state-run national broadcaster signalled on Monday that rising China would lead emerging economies like India and Brazil in outpacing the US. There was no mention of the simmering disputes dividing India and China.

A talk show on China’s state-run national broadcaster signalled on Monday that rising China would lead emerging economies like India and Brazil in outpacing the US. There was no mention of the simmering disputes dividing India and China.

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Themed ‘rise of the rest,’ the show opened on China Central Television with Chinese children on a racetrack, wearing T-shirts bearing the flags of China, Brazil and India. A Chinese boy enters the scene as the American bully, shoving China aside with the words ‘get out’ and ‘I don’t care what you think’. China exhorts India and Brazil to run faster and outpace the boy named Mike with the American stripes. “Wait for me,’’ Mike is left panting. Depicting scenes from a New Delhi slum and urban air pollution in China, the show emphasised the shared challenges of the developing world including presenting a united front to resist the developed world on climate change.

“We envy your software and innovation,’’ said the Chinese anchor to human resources development minister Kapil Sibal who is attending the Summer Davos in Tianjin near Beijing.

When the anchor questioned the effectiveness of the Indian democracy’s ‘biggest poverty-stricken population’ and ‘poor infrastructure,’ the Chinese analysts praised India’s development strategy. “India’s strategy is more viable. China needs to readjust economic strategy,’’ said political scientist Fu Jun of Peking University. Financial expert Fang Xinghai opened with a clear message from Beijing — “As the rise of the US benefitted other countries, the process can happen again with China’s rise.’’