Indian traders defy call to boycott Chinese goods saying huge stocks remain to be sold

New Delhi, March 19 (Indian Express): Indian traders have ignored a call by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) to boycott Chinese goods following China’s refusal to allow the UN Security Council to list the Pakisatan-based Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

“Ninety percent of the market here runs on Chinese goods. How will it function if we call for a boycott?,” said a local shopkeeper in New Delhi’s Sadar Bazar, popular for items manufactured in the neighboring country, even as the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) gave a call to burn and boycott Chinese goods across 1,500 places on Tuesday.

Indian markets registered minimal participation as shopkeepers and hawkers continued to sell Chinese pichkaris (water guns) among other items ahead of Holi.

Despite a demonstration by the union, locals refused to put on hold the sale of Chinese products, saying that they have stocks which have to be sold.

“We are selling Chinese goods. They were stocked up earlier. If India is importing items from China, we have no choice but to sell them. We will continue to sell them as per demand,” says Vikas, a worker at a local shop.

Several other shopkeepers also disagreed with the idea of banning Chinese goods in India. On the condition of anonymity, one of them said Chinese toys and several items formed a major constituent of the market, especially during festivals. “Their removal will surely hamper our business,” he said.

A group of representatives from the association set ablaze several Chinese goods to protest against Beijing‘s technical hold on the proposal to list Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist for the fourth time. Several items were burnt at the market’s main chowk as a sign of disapproval over the neighboring country’s actions.

Also read: Chinese envoy says optimistic that Masood Azhar matter will be resolved

“The way China is supporting Pakistan and have blocked attempts to list Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, we cannot continue using Chinese goods. We will not tolerate anyone playing with the country’s security,” says Vipin Ahuja, President of CAIT, Delhi.

“The traders will boycott the goods of countries standing against the national security of India,” CAIT General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal said in a press release. The association also demanded the government impose restrictions on trade with China.

In order to minimise imports from China, the government should immediately impose a customs duty ranging from 300 percent to 500 percent. On the other hand, a strict investigation should be conducted at India ports on each import from China as goods from the neighboring country are highly under-valued,” CAIT said in a statement.

Last year, items worth 53878.06 million dollars were imported by India from China.

China’s Global Times Ridicules Boycott

China’s GlobalTimes has ridiculed the call for boycott saying that the only sufferers will be the Indian public. Here is the report:

As India’s general election will take place from April 11 to May 19, Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi used China to attack Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Not a word comes out of his mouth when China acts against India,” Gandhi said.

However, attacking China should not be Indian politicians’ way to solicit votes for a general election.

What is the major problem that India is facing at the moment? The country lacks economic dynamics and makes slow progress with reform. India’s tax system is also too complicated and India’s manufacturing industry is still underdeveloped. The “Make in India” initiative launched by Modi also faces challenges because of problems including low productivity, corruption and inconvenient transportation.

What is hampering India is not any external force, but the force inside the country itself that has been hindering India’s reform. This is the No.1 question that any candidate has to answer. New Delhi should understand this: Diverting Indian people’s attention to China will only make its internal problems more serious.

Some Indian analysts have been appealing for a boycott of Made-in-China products. Especially after India’s latest bid to list Masood Azhar as a global terrorist in the UN was suspended by China, the hashtag “#BoycottChineseProducts” became popular on Twitter.

China made pichkaris or water guns used in the Holi festival in North India

Why Have Boycott Calls Aways Failed?

The boycott has failed for so many years because India cannot produce the products by itself. A tweet serves as a good example: “Very curious how many people tweeting #BoycottChineseProducts are using phones from China – Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Huawei, Gionee.” The situation seems awkward for a part of the Indian people: Like it or not, they still have to use Chinese-made products because India still lacks the ability to produce on a large scale.

India should be aware that China is not its enemy. The relations between the two countries have improved since Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi held an informal summit in 2018 in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei Province. Beijing and New Delhi have reached an important consensus which should be further implemented.

Although there is still a trade deficit problem between China and India, it should be resolved through negotiation and consultation, not to mention that China has tried to increase its agricultural imports from India to ease the two countries’ trade imbalance. China’s attitude is also consistent in China-India border talks.

As a powerful neighbor of India, China has been trying to promote their relations. And it would be dangerous if candidates in the general election use the “China threat theory” to hype nationalism and gain popularity. Sensationalizing China affairs may help Indian politicians’ political careers, but it will not help improve India’s economy, manufacturing or people’s livelihoods.

If India only shouts hollow slogans on Twitter and fails to improve its real strength, the country will not be able to find its way out.