Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s9.t5.11

v1.c7.s9.t5.11

When Mahatma Gandhi launched the non-cooperation movement, Yet-sen had assumed power in Guangzhou as the Extraordinary President of the provisional government, ready to launch his Northern Expedition against the war-lords. He hailed Gandhi's movement as the "awakening of India". In 1921, he said in a speech: "The Indians have long been oppressed by the British. They have now reacted with a change in their revolutionary thinking... There is progress in their revolutionary spirit; they will not be cowed down by Britain." He departed from his prepared text to specially commend Gandhi's doctrine of non-cooperation while he was speaking and propounding the doctrine of his own three people's principles in 1924. He said: "What is non-cooperation? It is not to supply what the British are wanting. It is not to accept what the British are eager to supply. If the British need workers, no Indian would work for them; if the British bring up a lot of imported goods for the Indian consumption, the Indians should refuse to use them, and only consume their native products. In the beginning, the British had taken this idea lightly. Through the passage of time non-cooperation organisations had mushroomed in India, and this greatly hurt the British economy, hence, the British Government throws Gandhi into prison.” He, then, called upon the Chinese people to emulate the Indian example, become united and act, “sever economic ties” with the imperialists. He continued: “If all Chinese could emulate the Indian example of non-cooperation… we will not be cowed down even if the foreign powers resort to the suppression of armed forces, economic measures, and the presence of their people.”