(Text by Guoyanghao of Observer Network)
On July 1, the renowned American think tank Hoover Institute released a video of a conversation between Indra Nooyi, the former chairman and CEO of Pepsi in India, and former U.S. Secretary of State Rice. The two discussed their personal experiences, management skills, and the international situation. Indra Nooyi expressed positive views about China during the interview.
Lu Yingde was born in Chennai, India, and later became a U.S. citizen. He joined Pepsi in 1994 and later served as the chairman and CEO of Pepsi.
Lu Yingde said that when talking about Asia, it is necessary to discuss China and India. 'If you have been to China, you will find that domestic competition in China is very intense. Even in the beverage industry, the number of brands that appear on shelves is astonishing. Anyone who thinks there is no competition in China is wrong. Although China does not have the extreme hyper-competition that America has... competition is still intense. Companies use new technologies and products to defeat their competitors. This is why you can see a faster cycle of innovation in China... China is actually a very exciting and competitive market.'
Rice immediately said that although Chinese is difficult for American students, more and more American students are starting to learn Chinese. In comparison, the number of students going to India is much smaller. Rice expressed regret over this, while Lu Yingde answered this question quite straightforwardly.
She believes that “as a tourist, it is definitely easier for you to stay in China for a period of time than in India. India is a chaotic country. The charm of India lies in its chaos. Absolute chaos.”
If you're familiar with India, or have been to India before and enjoy the chaos around you, then go to India. It's like a drug - you'll become addicted. If you prefer order, like clean and tidy living, India will make it hard for you to accept. When you see cows and cars appearing on the road at the same time, you'll wonder 'what in the world is going on?!' This is how life is in India."
Lu Yingde expressed admiration for the spirit of India, saying that 'everything will pass'. He also said that 'India may develop better, but having cows on the road is part of life'. Indians have become accustomed to this way of thinking.
Finally, Lu Yingde expressed his respect for China's system, "because it has led China out of its dark times and back to its place as a world power."
