THIS article is not about The Smiling Dragon”, the 1963 cult book by Helen E Peck and Jennie T Dearmin that tells the heart-warming story of a boy and his family а and the Japanese culture and artistry surrounding kite flying. The book triggered the cult of the Smiling Dragon and a whole genre of cartoons and Japanese kites that continue to flourish to this day.
But today, it is related to realpolitik of China's dragon dance nearer our western and northern borders. Media speculation about an impending “surprise” visit of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi came true when he landed in New Delhi on the night of March 24 from Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had been keeping mum, although it will be the first trip by a senior Chinese leader to New Delhi after the Galwan clash on June 15, 2020, in eastern Ladakh.
The MEA had probably kept it under wraps because India had been maintain peace and tranquillity in eastern Ladakh was an essential prerequisite for normalising estranged ties with China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had explained this as India's “consistent position on ties with China even as late as March 21 during his virtual summit meeting with Australian PM Scott Morrison.
The Galwan incident was a moment of truth for India and Modi as it dashed ing that his hope of building a win-win relationship with China despite the border dispute. After the incident, India took a series of actions to curb the influence of Chinese businesses and banned over 55 popular mobile apps. In spite of this, China continues to dominate India's external trade; last year, it clocked a whopping $131 billion. At the same time, India has taken a number of measures to encourage manufacturers to make in Into replace imports from China. The fruits of these efforts are evident as India's export of smartphones has jumped to Rs 43,000 crore from Rs 1,300 crore four years ago.
This story is from the April 4, 2022 edition of India Legal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 4, 2022 edition of India Legal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PIL, Difficult To Swallow?
In a recent ruling, the Bombay High Court lamented the increasing number of frivolous public interest litigations being filed in courts and echoed the sentiments of the Supreme Court that such litigations are the bane of the judicial system. Is there any way to restrict their misuse?
Till Infertility Do Us Part...
The Calcutta High Court slammed a husband for initiating divorce proceedings due to his wife's infertility and asked him to be a pillar of support for her. Courts have often taken an empathetic view in such matters
IS THAT LEGAL?
Ignorance of law is no excuse. Here are answers to frequently asked queries regarding matters that affect us on a day-to-day basis
The Big Lie
In America, The Big Lie is an idiom used by Donald Trump's opponents and the media to describe his constant gripe about election fraud. Now, it seems more suited to another Republican, Congressman George Santos (right), who has been facing growing calls to resign after he admitted fabricating parts of his resume and biography since his election in New York last year.
Flying into the Sunset
Over 50 years since the first and original jumbo jet, the Boeing 747, took to the skies and revolutionized air travel, the last of the legendary aircraft (right) was delivered to a freight charter company, bringing down the curtain on one of aviation's most successful products.
Star Crossed
Actor and producer Alec Baldwin is a Hollywood legend, having starred in a range of movies, award winning TV sitcoms, and theatre. He was most recently seen in Mission Impossible Fallout, which is an apt description of his current situation.
Walkouts in the UK
An estimated half a million workers have gone on strike, shutting down thousands of schools, public transport and border disruption. It is the biggest day of industrial action for more than a decade.
Myanmar's Misery
Two years after the military coup ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the brutal crackdown by the junta on so-called \"insurgents\" and civilian protesters has reached a new level with the use of air strikes, a new and deadly tactic in the ongoing civil war.
AMERICA'S ANGST
From messy, divisive politics to a series of mass shootings, and now black officers brutally beating another black man to death as seen in bodycam videos, America's domestic convulsions are cause for serious introspection
JUSTICE LEAGUE
There are few judicial appointment procedures in the world that are completely bereft of the overarching presence of either the executive or the legislature, or both. In the end, the judge is left with all the powers vested in him/her by the constitution to uphold the rule of law, within an atmosphere of external influences
