Like all modern Chinese leaders, President Hu Jintao has a theory of his own. Internally, it is about building a “harmonious society” and externally, working for a “harmonious world”.

Hu’s predecessor Jiang Zemin had promoted the theory of “Three Represents”, which called on the Chinese Communist Party to go beyond its commitment to the working class and represent the advanced forces of production, advanced political culture and the interests of the majority of Chinese people. If Jiang’s “Three Represents” emphasised economic modernisation and ideological accommodation, Hu’s “harmonious society” focuses on coping with the social and political consequences of rapid change and addressing the needs of those left behind by reforms.

Although much international analysis has been devoted to Hu’s thesis on a “harmonious society” which seeks to deal with the many political tensions China faces from uneven economic growth and growing social inequality, there has been less interest in Hu’s idea of a “harmonious world”.

In his only public speech in New Delhi, Hu is expected to give a definitive articulation of his quest for a “harmonious world”. With the address to the joint session of the Parliament not materialising, Wednesday’s speech will be at the Vigyan Bhawan in the capital.

Hu’s theory on “harmonious world” revolves around four broad themes — effective multilateralism among states, development of a collective security mechanism, prosperity for all through common development, and tolerance and dialogue among diverse civilisations.

Indian response

Since the dominant tradition of Indian foreign policy loved debating how the world “ought” to be governed rather than how it actually “is”, New Delhi will have little to quibble with Hu’s “harmonious world”. The ideas that permeate Hu’s world view -democratisation of international relations and non-intervention in the internal affairs of nations - have also been part of Indian foreign policy articulation.

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