When Chinese Vice President Han Cheng asked about 400 political leaders and think tanks from 30 countries to join the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) in Gansu on May 18, he got natural support. Because, searching for civilization, no one should hesitate to become a part of coordination between civilizations.

 The initiative of the civilization he was explaining, the initiative  It was announced by President Xi Jinping in 2023 at a high-level dialogue with the world's political party leaders, which immediately received support . Yes, Nepal's former president Bidya Devi Bhandari returned from participating in the same Gansu dialogue during her visit to China (May 10-19).

On the invitation of the Chinese Association for International Understanding, when she arrived in Beijing along with the Nepalese government minister and the UML leader, she met with Liu Jianchao, the minister of the international department of the Chinese Communist Party. It was a visit of harmony and civility, which has nothing to do with Nepal's internal politics . Again, the politics of Nepal since the continuation of the constitution has been based on the decisions of the domestic parties, no matter how much you look at it through the lens of conspiracy theories. So let's not enter into that.   

Again, this article is not about former President Bhandari's visit to China. But by referring to this dialogue of the World Civilization Initiative, it has been analyzed how the Asian system based on civilization is being built in the world. It basically includes Nepal's neighbors India and China, who are influencing the world through soft power. First, let's look at some of the national characters of these two.

'hard' and 'soft' character    

Nepal's neighbors India and China are both nuclear nations. India conducted a nuclear test in 1974 and China ten years earlier in 1964 . China has signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while India has not, but both countries have said they will use nuclear weapons only as a deterrent.    

Since 2007, India has been the US's Asian strategic partner, which it has been trying to use strategically against rival China. A strong proof of that is India becoming a member of the US-led Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), which includes the US, Japan and Australia. The declared objective of which is to make the Indo-Pacific region open and free, while the strategic objective is to stop the growing Chinese influence in the region.  

But India does not seem to agree with America's policy of 'China control'. Indian Foreign Minister Subramaniam Jaishankar has repeatedly clarified: India is not in the policy of controlling China or any country. India's participation in the Quad is not for the policy of controlling China, we do not do block politics, we believe in constructive cooperation. In fact, India is now implementing issue-based and self-interested foreign relations. The majority of think tanks in India are of the view that New Delhi should not become a part of the US policy of controlling China.

India has made 'strategic autonomy' the policy of conducting its foreign relations . That is, India does not determine its relationship with any country based on pressure from anyone or strategic advantage of that country, but only by looking at India's interest . Has this policy been exactly demonstrated in practice? That is under discussion . 

China itself is America's competitive power. Which has reviewed relations with 14 bordering neighbors including India and transformed 'peripheral diplomacy' into 'neighbourhood first' policy. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the Neighborhood Priority Policy in Beijing on April 9. At its core is having 'appropriate' relations with neighbors based on the situation. It means that it can be related to a particular country . China is the second largest economy while India has recently overtaken Japan to become the fourth largest economy. Japan's economy is worth 3.6 billion dollars, while India's economy has reached 3.7 billion dollars. Among the influential characters in the multipolar world, India's economic growth rate is ahead. If this rate of economic growth continues, India will soon surpass Germany and become the third largest economy. 

means that China and India will gradually become strong economic powers . But India cannot be compared with China now. The size of China's economy is 19 trillion US dollars. India is far behind China in terms of development and population. India has more demographic advantage than China, which can become a strong base for Modi's mission to make a developed India .  

Both India and China are also hardpower . Through military use, economic pressure and sometimes the use of force, these neighbors also have the ability to influence world politics . One fundamental difference is that China has reached the power to provide an alternative edge to the world order, while India has only become an 'allied' power. If New Delhi can truly transform its diplomatic practice of strategic autonomy into pragmatism, a third strand can be created and that is that of 'neutrality'. Despite this, India is definitely a 'main balancer' and a 'global influence' country in the multipolar world order.    

But both of these nations have advanced soft power in such a way that, possibly, it may have disruptive results in the world order. Certainly, the strong influence will be civilization . It does not mean that the world order is oriented towards the conflict or conflict of civilizations. Instead, there may be coordination, coexistence between civilizations and the displacement of Western dominance by Asia.  coordination with

civilization 

Two American political scientists, Francis Fukuyama (The End of History and the Last Man, 1992) and Samuel P. Huntington (Clocks of Civilization, 1996) commented on the trend of global politics.    While Fukuyama tried to establish the thesis that liberal democracy is the last form, Huntington gave rise to the conflict of civilizations, in which he put forward the argument that the world conflict has only changed form, from ideological and economic to cultural and civilizational conflict. But the argument I put forward is different from both, now it is not a clash of civilization and culture, but the coordination of both of these can be the Shriganesh of the Asian era. 

Both India and China are 'civilizational states'. India is 3000 years old and China is 5000 years old. India was established as a modern independent country from 1947, while China became the People's Republic of China from 1949, i.e. modern China. The foundation of modern and open economy was laid by India in 1991 and China in 1978. His credit goes to Manmohan Singh and Deng Xiaoping.  

Both India and China seek legitimacy not only from modern state systems but from ancient and continuous civilizations. Both these countries have deep and profound cultural and philosophical traditions. Although there is internal diversity, there is also historical unity . And, a civilized nation always makes its mission to preserve or restore its ideals. Vedic tradition, Upanishads, Buddhism, Jainism, Ramayana, Mahabharata etc. have the roots of civilization in India. On the other hand, the roots of Chinese civilization are based on Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.

When Narendra Modi emerged as a strong Prime Minister, he started efforts to restore India to a civilized country . Similarly, when Xi became the Chinese president, he recalled the legacy of civilization to say that the Chinese model is different from Western liberal democracies. In Europe, the nation-state emerged from the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, while the civilizational state is based on the ancient civilization. Apart from India and China, Egypt and Iran are also civilization nations. In America and Europe, the history of civilization has been built only since the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. 

How are the initiatives and effects of traditional civilization seen, let's see them . Modi's idea of ​​promoting India as India is connected with the restoration of that civilization. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar wrote a book called 'Why India Matters', in which the ancient civilizational strength has been promoted as an Indian identity . Modi is presenting India on the world stage as a cultural, moral, non-violence, peace, pluralism, religion and Basudhaiva family. At the United Nations forum, he often gives speeches focusing on India's Vedic, Buddhist and spiritual heritage. As a result, the United Nations declared June 21 as International Yoga Day. Apart from that, he emphasizes Ayurveda diplomacy, Sanskrit references and principles of Eastern philosophy tradition. For example, he deals with cultural diplomacy involving Buddhism in East and Southeast Asia. Hinduism has become the main identity. 

As Modi has presented India as a 'world guru' in foreign policy, he has said that it is a country that can provide spiritual and philosophical guardianship to the unstable world. In this, there is an attempt to advance Indian civilization as an alternative to materialism in the West . Another, more religious-sounding but deeply rooted issue is the return of Hindu civilization, which Modi has linked to every foreign visit. As an example of that, the establishment of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the restoration of ancient temples and religious areas. The only reason behind asking to read ancient Hindu scriptures is the restoration of Hindu identity.  Modi has emphasized spiritual depth instead of consumerism, communalism over individualism, environmental balance.  

On the other hand, in China, President Xi has announced the World Civilization Initiative, which should be understood as China's soft power diplomacy. China considers itself as the owner of Confucianism-Marxism. The root of Xi's slogan of 'Great Renaissance of the Chinese Nation' is connected with Chinese civilization. Its intention seems to be to bring back China's historical glory, to present China again as a powerful nation in the world from a cultural point of view . This renaissance reconciles modern nationalism with Chinese cultural pride . Also, the BRI promoted by President Xi is related to the restoration of Chinese civilization and its exchanges. This is not only an economic project. It restores the narrative of the ancient Silk Road, when China was the world center of civilization and communication. 

Similarly, China has effectively promoted soft diplomacy through the Confucius Institute. Established in 150 countries, it not only promotes Chinese culture and language globally, but also expands Confucian values . Which includes conduct such as harmony, social stability and ethics. Secondly, China has also promoted intellectualism and Asian identity as Chinese philosophy. Because, China hosts the main Buddhist forums in the world . Buddhism is such a soft power, which connects not only Nepal, India and China, but also Asia.  

Xi is developing Chinese civilization as an alternative model of Western liberal democracy, for which he has adopted an aggressive principle - 'Shared destiny, shared development'. This is how China is promoting Asian recognition and a common future for mankind in multilateral forums including the United Nations. For that he is rewriting history . And, the Chinese influence is expanding through civilization in Asia, Africa and Latin America .

Nepal Bridge