China's pastime: India-bashing

Image: Chinese workers chat at a pavement in Beijing. Ordinary Chinese, polls say, consider India as their biggest enemy.
Photographs: Reuters

India-bashing seems to be China's favourite pastime. Weeks after a website -- citing an opinion poll -- described India as its biggest enemy, a spate of editorials in Chinese dailies like Global Times and Peoples Daily accuse India of being insecure because of China's rising success story.

The Chinese believe, the papers say, that India is insecure about China and its achievements.

Is India being insecure about China? Or is it the figment of imagination or propaganda by the Chinese? Tell us?

Are they shooting in the dark?

Image: A view of a construction site Shanghai
Photographs: Reuters

The trouble started when China accused India of deploying massive troops along the disputed Arunachal Pradesh border. Sensing a danger, China unleashed a spate of articles in Global Times and Peoples Daily -- both considered official mouthpieces of the Chinese government.

Is China jumping the gun?

Image: A Chinese family jump as they pose for a photo at the Great Wall of China
Photographs: Reuters

In a piece in People's Daily, writer Li Hongmei said Indians harboured a mix of "awe, vexation, envy and jealousy -- in the face of its giant neighbour".

'India's foreign policy is hostile'

Image: Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. A file picture.
Photographs: Reuters

A People's Daily report said, "The Indian government, instead of working in a constructive direction to clear up its people's misunderstandings about China, which has gravely hampered normal development of bilateral relations, has consistently adopted a hostile foreign policy towards China, in an effort to win the support from its hawkish MPs and strength its reign in the nation."

'It 's just wishful thinking'

Image: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao raise a toast. Picture taken in 2008.
Photographs: Reuters

Anotehr editorial in Global Times, "India can't actually compete with China in a number of areas, like international influence, overall national power and economic scale. India apparently has not yet realised this... India's growing power would have a significant impact on the balance of this equation, which has led India to think that fear and gratitude for its restraint will cause China to defer to it on territorial disputes. But this is wishful thinking, as China won't make any compromises in its border disputes with India. And while China wishes to coexist peacefully with India, this desire isn't born out of fear."

What the opinion poll says

Image: An image of the Great Wall of China
Photographs: Reuters

If that recently conducted poll in China is to be believed, 90 per cent of the Chinese think that India poses the biggest threat to its existence.

'India is harmful'

Image: Chinese soldiers put up a flag atop their post at the India-China trade route at Nathu-La Pass
Photographs: Reuters

About 74 percent people in the poll conducted by a website believed China should not maintain friendly relations with India after its 'military provocation.'

More than 65 percent of people believed India's actions were harmful to bilateral ties and it is more harmful to India.

Anti-India stories: Made in China

Image: A labourer carries a sandbag for construction at the India-China trade route at Nathu-La
Photographs: Reuters

India likes to brag about its sustainable development, but worries that it is being left behind by China. China is seen in India as both a potential threat and a competitor to surpass, the report said.

So what do you think about what the Chinese think? Tell us.

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