Chinese businessmen in India: Let politics be politics, and business be business.

     As Chinese companies expand in India and their Indian counterparts establish businesses in China, economic and trade exchanges between China and India have become one of the core aspects of the bilateral relationship.

Nestled in the lush Malcha Marg district, Amour Bistro, specializing in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, is located just 500 meters from the Chinese embassy in South Delhi. 500 meters away Next to it is a restaurant called Fujiya, serving Japanese and Chinese cuisine.

Iron chandeliers, vintage wooden furniture, and Ariana Grande's "Love Me Harder" playing in the air—it's hard to imagine this rustic bistro having anything to do with Indian tandoori chicken or Bollywood. But he insists on using his Indian name, Amit, and wants to talk about Aamir Khan's latest film, Dangal.

"Dangal is great ", he says, "Do you know how much this movie made in China? Over 13 billion rupees . Amazing. Amit's unusual fondness for Bollywood and tandoori chicken is surprising, as his real name is Li Jian.

Economics, or politics

"When the Chinese dragon meets the Indian elephant, the Draphant is born," Amit says with a smile, " Indian startups and Chinese pioneers can create miracles 。”

He has invested over 10 million rupees in Indian startups. Amit says that Zhu Fan has assisted in approximately $137 million in Chinese investment in India over the past four years. In recent years, there has been a surge in investment from Chinese businessmen in India, covering sectors such as mobile phones and e-commerce.

He says, "In the past two years, Chinese companies (including those through Hong Kong, Singapore, Mauritius, etc.) have invested over $4.2 billion in India, which is a very impactful figure."

     However, how does this surge in private investment fare against the somewhat severe political rhetoric of recent weeks? ？

Last week, the Chinese embassy in India issued a warning to Chinese residents in India and those planning to travel to India, advising them to exercise caution and reduce unnecessary visits.

Amit hopes that Sino-Indian business exchanges will not stall, and he is confident that Chinese businesses are continuing as usual. "I hope the two countries can resolve issues at the political level, separating politics from business 。”

Amit hopes that simple economic principles can be understood by Indians. "$4.2 billion is no joke," his voice rises, "Do you think that a country investing this much money would harm the interests of the host country?"

Two countries with equally long histories have witnessed similar development patterns, with strategic cooperation intertwining, forming two huge, developing economies.

    The experiences of Japan and the United States are not suitable for India. China, Amit believes, is India's best partner for growth. He says, "Japan helped upgrade India's auto industry, but China can help upgrade India's precision electronics industry." ” He stated that Chinese companies in India give more than they receive, and focusing on business rather than other distractions is very meaningful.

The Renminbi Business

Amit is not the only one focusing on this; his compatriots are working together to take this to the next level. 25 kilometers from Malcha Marg, in Gurgaon's Time Tower, is the headquarters of Alibaba's mobile business in India, including UC Web, UCBrowser, UC Union, and 9 apps.

On a humid Thursday afternoon, several Chinese employees are taking a smoke break outside the building. Of the more than 160 employees in the Gurgaon office building, one-fourth are Chinese. Sitting on the first floor is Wu Haoran (English name: Constantin), the head of marketing and branding for Alibaba's mobile international business. For him, who has been with OPPO India for over a year and a half, only business matters.

   "So far, my trip to India has been wonderful. It has paved my career path," Constantin, who joined Alibaba India in 2015, says, " our prospects here are very bright 。”

Constantin lists several factors that make India attractive to investors: a growing population, an inclusive culture, people's willingness to try various apps, and a continuously developing economy.

" Anyone who underestimates the potential of the Indian market is deceiving themselves ，” he says, and points out that the two countries have many similarities in their economic development paths.

Constantin adds that deeper economic cooperation between the two countries will help build trust. Currently, China has abundant capital, while India, as an emerging market, needs external investment.

Take the e-commerce industry as an example. In just one year, China's investment in this industry has risen from $464.8 million in 2016 to $1.9 billion in 2017.

Several successful startups, including Flipkart and Paytm, have received investment from China. In recent years, Chinese investors have become increasingly visible. Constantin says, " Cooperation benefits both sides 。”

The Truth in Mandarin

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, Nazia Vasi, President of Inchin Closer, is doing her best to facilitate a business deal between China and India.

Vasi started providing language and cultural consulting services in January 2010, aiming to help eliminate misunderstandings between people of both countries in communication She pointed out that InchinCloser's goal is to create a communication platform for Chinese and Indians, promoting mutual understanding between the two sides foreseeably ahead for a good future.

With experience living in China and studying Chinese, Vasi's business has developed very well, growing at a rate of 20% annually. She has established centers in Powai, South Mumbai, and Bandra, where 3 Chinese teachers teach Chinese to over 80 students. Her students include lawyers, jewelers, bankers, entrepreneurs, and businesspeople.

     The expansion of Chinese language learning demand is due to the increase in job opportunities requiring Chinese language skills 。 Vasi said that with the expansion of Chinese companies in India and the development of Indian counterparts' businesses in China, communication has become the core of cross-border business. Due to supply falling short of demand, Indian translators who can perform Chinese-Indian interpretation earn very high salaries.

Protesting groups

However, an undercurrent of boycotting China is also gradually accumulating 。 Co-founder of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Ashwani Mahajan planned protests against Chinese financial power in India.

While acknowledging that Chinese investors have become an important part of India's emerging enterprise ecosystem and Chinese companies are helping startups with their experience, Gupta stated that investment also brings competition, which Indian competitors are not yet ready to face.

"This gives local Chinese companies time to survive and grow," he said. But the Indian market is open. Back in Gurugram, entrepreneurs like Amit still yearn for deeper China-India cooperation.

China, Amit stated, is bringing manufacturing technology to India. Chinese companies in India are low-key and practical, promoting tax revenue, creating jobs, introducing technology, giving back to society, and not causing trouble for local residents.

He said: "We don't like to be publicized, whether positively or negatively."

Perhaps this explains why Chinese mobile device companies and invested startups in India have not responded.

       Last year Amit and his wife Zhao Feiyun, who had their wedding in China in July, held another Indian-style wedding in India last December. "The priest always chants 'Svaha' (achieve auspiciousness) during rituals," he said with a smile, " I hope the relationship between China and India can also be blessed and last long. 。”