Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s9.t5.7

v1.c7.s9.t5.7

Sun believed India became a colony solely because the English East India Co., "cunningly" took advantage of the divisive state of Indian feudal society. His advice for India's independence was similar to that for his own country. He said since India was crucial for Britain's economy, "the British authorities would hold on to India with no stone unturned even to the extent of sacrificing everything else." He also predicted that the Indian revolutionary movement would not be smooth sailing and urged the Indians to stay united and persevere in their struggle to end British rule. When he founded the Zhongguo Tongmenghui (League of China) in Tokyo, and started Minbao (People's paper) as its mouth piece in 1905, he met several revolutionaries from India, discussed with them the problems of anti-imperialist struggle and national liberation. He was the greatest inspiration for these revolutionaries. These were the earliest contacts between the revolutionaries of the two countries.