EN
In his study, the author searches for the causes of polarized tension in our perception of the paired terms - East and West. He seeks reasons behind this acute dichotomy and points out the sources and manifestations of the so-called Orientalism and its specific form - Balkanism. Methodological blunders prevent us from reaching more deeply into the processes that are under way in two great Himalayan powers. China, which is no longer merely a developing country, has experienced a fourth decade of steady real economic growth. India has recently undergone massive changes, too.