Imposing ban or boycott of Chinese products will not serve any purpose

JAMMU: According to an old saying ‘enemy’s enemy is my friend’. This saying has been practically adopted by our close neighbor Pakistan. China is already the first enemy of India from decades and Pakistan is not able to maintain enmity with India on its own so the country made strong friendship with China to counter India. Supporting Pakistan in aiding and abetting terrorism has greatly upset the people of India. That is why most of Indians have boycotted buying Chinese goods, which were otherwise popular here. Now the question arises, are we in a position to boycott China made products, seeing the present condition of Indian economy as it is heavily dependent on the export-import relations with China.
To know what a common man feels about this issue, The News Now talked to some Jammuites to know their views and opinion and here is what they say.
Mohit Abrol
No, I don’t think that we should boycott Chinese products because our economy is not in a condition to take this stiff call. Right now, in our country some people are trying to start a nationwide movement of banning Chinese products, especially on social media. They are portraying the movement as a symbol of nationalism and patriotism. According to them, by not buying Chinese products we can hamper their rich and vast economy. They argue that China is using our money to support Pakistan and try to indulge India in a proxy war. We must accept that China is not the only country that supports Pakistan and further they support Pakistan for their economic expansion rather than promoting terror.
Sukhdev Singh
I love my country and can also sacrifice myself for its sake. But what is important is that we need to differentiate between nationalism and emotional sentiments. Banning Chinese products is not a wise decision when our economy has not become a self reliant and Chinese products are a large part of its export-import policy. In my opinion boycott of Chinese goods won’t help India, rather it will make Indians poorer. The fact is that the Chinese products have always been a great boon to the Indian poor and middle class people. They have led to huge cost savings for Indian consumers improving their lifestyle.
Harjot Singh
The practical and realistic answer to this question is no. We have to carefully think of all the alternatives we have. But unfortunately we don’t have many or at least not a lot many options. Although Government of India is trying best to push “Make in India” campaign, but it will still take a lot of time before the manufacturing sector can produce the quantity we need, quality we want, at a cost we are willing to pay. But banning Chinese product or boycotting them is not the solution of the issue. We must take a stand when it comes to nation’s integrity and defense but not at the cost of economy.
Manjit Singh
My point is that it is currently not possible for us to boycott each and every Chinese item; however, if an Indian version is available we should be willing to buy the Indian item. There is resentment in our country, and it has increased after the Uri attack. Today India is the prime victim of terrorism, but who knows tomorrow it will be China. We must force Chinese Government to stop supporting Pakistan in India’s related issues, but not by boycotting China made products. China with its effective mass production capacity is able to fill the gap between demand and supply in India.
Om Prakash
Yes, we can boycott Chinese products. When you see ‘Made in China’ mark, think about its alternative product. It may be Made in India, in Japan, Taiwan, Korea or any other country. Even it seems very difficult, but it can be done. Government should encourage Indian startup companies in the entire sector. Marketing should take place for each product via all possible ways and people should have clear knowledge about manufacturing details of the product. General public can voluntarily boycott Chinese items as a people’s movement like the Swadeshi Movement held during the British era. It can be done either by the individuals or steered by non-governmental organizations and political parties.