China’s changing colours

Beijing exudes energy, be it in the cyclists pedalling to work during the rush hour or hectic building activity, reports Amar Chandel

They are everywhere, those huge cranes used in the construction of high-rise buildings. Because of them the joke in Beijing is that the national bird of China is a crane. The national capital is in a tearing hurry to change into a modern metropolis of which any developed country would be proud. The hosting of the 2008 Olympics has given this a new urgency. A roadside slogan sums up the goal: "New Beijing; New China; New Beginning".

What is unusual is that many of these apartments are still vacant. That is not only because of strict restrictions on migrating to Beijing from the countryside (you require a work permit before setting up house here). Actually, construction is an overheated activity which China is only now thinking of toning down.

That does not mean that old quarters are totally gone. They are very much there but one has to really know the city to reach them. And the atmosphere there is very similar to what one encounters in Old Delhi, with small tailoring or haircutting establishments running from single-room tenements.

What strikes you as most unusual in Beijing is lack of crowds. One had expected it to be teeming with people. After all, it is about the same size as Delhi and more populous. But the masses are just not to be seen. During rush hour, roads are choked with cars caught in notorious traffic jams bumper to bumper (The Suzuki 800s are a common sight, under the brand name Suzuki Alto) but the rush of human beings is conspicuous by its absence. Perhaps it has something to do with the ultramodern underground railway that Beijing boasts of.

This is just one of the many surprises China has in store for those brought up on a staple diet of stories about the repression and regimentation in communist countries. It tends to be as liberal as the West in everyday life. On Beijing streets it is a common sight to find doting couples in such amorous poses which could ensure a night in jail if they were in Delhi. The younger generation seems to be shedding its inhibitions and clothes with a vengeance. Anything conservative seems to remind them of their slavery days, so much so that for the hip-set even eating rice is infra-dig.

Actually, to call the system of administration as communist will be only partly true. It is actually capitalism in a workman’s clothes. There are many restrictions on one’s liberties. For instance, the State decides what TV programmes you watch or which internet sites are okay for you. But in everyday life you are given a very long rope.

It would be almost impossible to find any government servant reaching his office late. Those employed in various ministries have houses close to the place of work and can be summoned as and when needed.

Coffee being served the traditional way through a long-stemmed pot. — Photos by writer

Discipline is a way of life on the street as well. There are many private establishments all of whose employees do a few minutes of physical exercise before getting down to work. Similar classes in tai-chi and martial arts can be seen in various parks, which are kept sparkling clean. As we visited Temple of Heaven, the most recognised landmark of Beijing, people of all ages could be seen dancing or doing exercise in parks.

While cars swamp the streets, it is also fashionable to use the cycles. Hundreds of people can be seen pedalling down in a disciplined way. Many of the Beijing buses have woman drivers.

When we visit the Indian embassy, a strong smell of mangoes greets us. No, it was not because we were homesick, but because the majestic building had just hosted a fair for promoting Indian mangoes in China. Several tonnes of them were sold out in a few hours. From now onwards, mangoes will be a regular export to China.

Both countries are now realising that maintaining any kind of animosity that came into their relations after 1962 will be mutually harmful. So, they are rediscovering each other.

India’s youthful Ambassador, Mr Nalin Suri, concurs. Now that India has found its feet once again, it is being treated with a new respect in Beijing. The Chinese are quick to grasp the ground reality. India is a rising power and instead of running it down as a competitor, it is better to treat it as a partner in progress.

More Indian businessmen are rushing to China today than ever before. They have a strong presence in Beijing and Shanghai and are spreading to lesser-known places like Chengdu. Our Shanghai-Beijing flight was packed with Indians. A senior executive of Birla Carbon, which has a huge plant near Shanghai, told us that Indians wanting to set up industry in China are given free land and many concessions.

Things may never go back to Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai days. Nor is there any need for that. The two Asian giants are expected to live far more amiably in the days to come than they have done in the recent past.

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