Are ‘war-mongers’ narrating the China-India story?

[Nomenclature]

Are ‘war-mongers’ narrating the China-India story? - India - DNA

Recently, on the Chinese internet, there surfaced a thrilling account of a naval war scenario involving China and India. “It was a vivid rendering of how Chinese navy vessels entered the Bay of Bengal and, in just a few days, destroyed the entire fleet of Indian warships,” recalls Prof Liu Jian of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), one of China’s most influential policy think tanks.

The narrative, it turned out, was a work of fiction, the product of a fevered imagination. And although such “crazy stories” aren’t representative of how most Chinese leaders and ordinary people perceive India, says Liu, it was a manifestation of the “antagonism and hostility” towards India that resonates among small sections of Chinese military circles and “extremely nationalist youth”.

A similar China-directed hawkish streak is discernible in the public discourse in India, points out Dr Jagannath Panda, research fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. In recent times, there have been countless “alarmist narratives” about China in the media and among sections of the strategic think tank community, which offer no “constructive insight” on China, but only feed a “nationalist” sentiment, he adds.

Recent manifestations of strains between the two giant trans-
Himalayan neighbours — over China’s denial of a visa to an Indian army general serving in Kashmir, and the reported presence of Chinese troops in ***************** Kashmir — have accentuated the “trust deficit”, endangered by the unresolved Sino-Indian border dispute, which led to the war of 1962. Prime minister Manmohan Singh’s recent (off-the-record) comments about China seeking “a foothold” in South Asia have disconcertingly escalated the war of words to the highest rung of the ladder of policymaking circles.

Is all this unchecked nationalist war-mongering rhetoric in the media and strategic think tank space now distorting the tone of the official narrative? Will such narratives harden public and official attitudes on both sides and make it harder to resolve long-pending disputes?

“Media headlines shouldn’t be allowed to make policy,” asserts former foreign secretary Salman Haidar, who served as India’s ambassador to China in the early 1990s, when the PV Narasimha Rao government formulated its Look East foreign policy. “Of course, we can’t ignore the things that divide the two countries, but while some watchfulness may be warranted, we shouldn’t get swayed by alarmist media reports or give them undue importance.”

To the credit of policymakers and diplomats on both sides, Haidar sees Sino-Indian relations as “equable, despite the frictions and problems”. War, he adds, is “inconceivable” and there is a “basic good sense and stability” in the relationship.

Liu of CASS shares that sentiment, and points to a changing perception of India among Chinese leaders and scholars. “Chinese leaders’ attitudes and mindset towards India today are very reasonable: more reasonable than was the case with leaders in the Mao Zedong era,” he says. And even in the media discourse in China, “positive coverage” of India outweighs the negative reportage, he adds.

Dr Zhao Hong, a visiting Chinese scholar at the National University of Singapore’s East Asian Institute, too points out that Indian perceptions of China as reflected in official trade policies and the popular media discourse are “generally negative and suspicious”, whereas Chinese public perceptions of India are “benign”.

If that’s true, what accounts for what IDSA scholar Panda calls the “fragmented dialogue” vis-a-vis China among the Indian strategic elite, including the government, the media and policy think tanks? He points to several reasons. “The strategic community in India seems to be struggling between conceding and apprehending China’s rise,” he notes.

Additionally, difficulties in ‘China-watching’ persist in India given that there aren’t enough scholars on China and most students who learn Chinese opt for better-paying corporate careers rather than join the government, think tanks or the media. “There is limited policy discourse in India about China, and the alarmist media narrative has confused India’s China policy at a broader level,” he adds.

Panda says “outdated impressions” of China’s progress as a state can lead to “poor policy formulations”. As Linda Jakobson and Dean Knox, analysts at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, point out in a recent report, new “foreign policy actors” are emerging in China on the margins of the traditional power structure, and foreign governments must take into account these agencies that have a say in foreign policy decision.

Other scholars point to a more fundamental problem in the Sino-Indian discourse. Despite occasional incantations about a ‘Chindia’ framework, “mutual mistrust” between the two countries cannot easily be overcome so long as the relationship is driven only by a strategic elite community, without much grassroots-level people-to-people interaction, reasons Dr Renaud Egreteau, who heads the China-India project at the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Indicatively, he adds, the US-India relationship and the US-China relationship are influenced or “mellowed” to an extent by the Indian and Chinese diaspora in the US, which act as lobbying groups. But China and India don’t have similar deep civil society interactions. India is perhaps the only big country without a ‘Chinatown’ today: even the Chinese settlement in Kolkata was dispersed after the 1962 war.

Likewise, the Indian diaspora in China is fairly insubstantial; even student exchange programs are thin on the ground - although that will be addressed by human resource development minister Kapil Sabil’s upcoming China visit, during which agreements on mutual recognition of degrees will be signed.

So, how can the tone of the Sino-Indian narrative be changed from hysterical ‘war-mongering’ on both sides to finding the pragmatic balance of “competitive cooperation”? Haidar, the distinguished diplomat, recalls the counsel he received, ahead of his China ambassadorial appointment, from renowned political strategist PN Haksar.

“He said that the border dispute and other political issues weren’t going to disappear overnight and that the two sides could begin by understanding what their societies were about: how are they advancing, what are they doing to make better lives for themselves.” Perhaps, muses Haidar, that’s ultimately where the two countries’ peoples can relate to each other.

The trick, adds Egreteau, is not to have a “naive” notion of friendly relations, but have a more “pragmatic” discourse — having a dialogue, while recognising there are differences and disputes that can be discussed without derailing the entire process.

A lot of good points in this article. The lack of Chinese language expertise among China watchers in India, the lack of grass-root level interactions are both contributing to the mutual misunderstanding.

Paradoxically, the abundance of English-speakers in China also means the latest China-bashing articles in the Indian press often get translated and posted on the Chinese forum thus fanning up a growing anti-Indian sentiment among the more radical youth in China.

Anti-U.S sentiment was the predominant from of nationalist sentiment in China for the late 1990s and early 2000s, then followed by anti-Japanese sentiment during the mid 2000s and anti-South Korean sentiment during the late 2000s. I've read someone predicting after anti-South Korean sentiment runs its course the next in line may be anti-Indian.

Anyway the Sino-Indian relationship is going to be very complex, and despite the much-touted 4,000 years of peaceful coexistence, we really don't know each other that well. And I don't think trust and understanding can be developed in any short period of time.

Perhaps the best we can hope is for the cooler heads to prevail, on both sides.

 

[third eye]

We need to make allowance for the abundance of methods of communication and sharing opinions that now exist. There was a time when the Radio, TV ( mostly state controlled) & Newspaper were the sole means of passage of news.

Today thanks to the net & cable TV the options are endless. Each is vying for attention and what can be better than sensationalism.

Nothing attracts attention more than what threats of war does. We all love scandal & someone else's suffering.

 

[twocents]

This may be the best attempt by an Indian publication at a balanced analysis of Sino-Indian relations. It is quite a departure from the knee-jerk alarmist reaction that dominates the Indian media. With the spread of the Internet, more and more of China's youths are increasingly aware of the Indian media's negative and hawkish attitude towards China. Once those media reports get translated and posted on Chinese Internet forums, they only serve to create a backlash against India. This phenomenon is primarily restricted to a number of Internet chat rooms frequented by the young Chinese. China's mainstream media's coverage of India remains matter of fact and even boring at times.

 

[muse]

Excellent article, more forum members should read it - lots of fascinating stuff, an immature understanding of the rise of China and implications for India, the lack of China scholars, more positive than negative coverage in the Chinese press for India and the lack of greater people to people contact as represented in the lack of serious communities in each country of Chinese and Indians.

 

[siegecrossbow]

The narrative, it turned out, was a work of fiction, the product of a fevered imagination. And although such “crazy stories” aren’t representative of how most Chinese leaders and ordinary people perceive India, says Liu, it was a manifestation of the “antagonism and hostility” towards India that resonates among small sections of Chinese military circles and “extremely nationalist youth”.

Unfortunately we not only have "extremely nationalist" Chinese youths on this forum but "extremely nationalist" Indian youths as well. Guess how 75% of pissing contests on Pak-defence starts?

 

[lemurian]

To give to an example of the typical fare that an Indian is exposed to-

The Hindu Business Line : Time to put China in its place

This is a really respected newspaper, unlike TOI. The next thing you know the Govt. will be accused of being weak by the opposition, and related consequences.

 

[Isaq Khan]

Oh....... plz we know that chineese people are not evil or even pakistani people are also good people but they don't have say in their govt. their govt. is run by dictator CPC or military in case of pak.

If someone says that encircling of India, providing nuke and missiles to pakistan to destroy India and kill innocent Indians is good for India or its just a communication gap ..................give me a break.

 

[CardSharp]

Oh....... plz we know that chineese people are not evil or even pakistani people are also good people but they don't have say in their govt. their govt. is run by dictator CPC or military in case of pak.

If someone says that encircling of India, providing nuke and missiles to pakistan to destroy India and kill innocent Indians is good for India or its just a communication gap ..................give me a break.

The CCP goes out of its way to keep the majority of Chinese happy because they are sh!t scared of the people. The same cannot be said of the GoI and Indians.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Oh....... plz we know that chineese people are not evil or even pakistani people are also good people but they don't have say in their govt. their govt. is run by dictator CPC or military in case of pak.

But same cannot be said about indian people when 80% or more con sider china a Enemy and rest consider it secondary enemy after Pakistan?Indian view Pakistan as their enemy and even want Pakistan to join them(which is disgustly hated in Pakistan)!

Wat makes u think CPC makes decisions withouts the consent of the chinese people?Its there decisions tht today china has only 2% poverty and fastest growing economy! while India is back at 50% and Pakistan 15%.

Wat makes u think PA runs govt in Pakistan right now?where did u see them being involved in Pakistans politics?

Ur delusional!

If someone says that encircling of India, providing nuke and missiles to pakistan to destroy India and kill innocent Indians is good for India or its just a communication gap ..................give me a break.

Encircling india BUhaHAHAHAHAH

Who created mukti bhani?LTTE?Causes problems in tibet?supports terrorism in Balouchistan and cries on every benfit tht has links to PAK OR CHINA?

Pakistan didnt get Nukes frm china!Nor missile... ignorant kid they say Pakistan imported missiles frm N.korea and improved them.. and even the missiles were the short ranged ones! Heck even these are theories n conspiracies!!
China became our frnds long before we had any major war with endia!

Who likes endia in S.A???

No one!

 

[Isaq Khan]

The CCP goes out of its way to keep the majority of Chinese happy because they are sh!t scared of the people. The same cannot be said of the GoI.

Don't try to teach me about myself or my county. Also its not the topic.

We don't want war with china and that will not happen, at least from our side.

We want friendship with china as this world is large enough for two of us and our (India-China) time have come.

But at the same time India should be prepared for the worst and do everything to protect its people, property and interest. We can't afford another backstabbing.

 

[CardSharp]

Unfortunately we not only have "extremely nationalist" Chinese youths on this forum but "extremely nationalist" Indian youths as well. Guess how 75% of pissing contests on Pak-defence starts?

Hell I feel like I'm at the heart of the 90% of these pissing contests nowadays (guess that makes me a extreme nationalist )

Don't try to teach me about myself or my county. Also its not the topic.

Oh....... plz we know that chineese people are not evil or even pakistani people are also good people but they don't have say in their govt. their govt. is run by dictator CPC

You must have a really short memory because you're the one that told us about our dictatorial system and went off topic.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Hell I feel like I'm at the heart of the 90% of these pissing contests nowadays (guess that makes me a extreme nationalist )






You must have a really short memory because you're the one that told us about our dictatorial system and went off topic.

Trying to argue reasonably with someone who tries to troll/derail threads is not considered joining in on a pissing contest.

 

[CardSharp]

But at the same time India should be prepared for the worst and do everything to protect its people, property and interest. We can't afford another backstabbing.

This word comes up over and over again in any China-India discussion. I am just about sick and tired of it.

Trying to argue reasonably with someone who tries to troll/derail threads is not considered joining in on a pissing contest.

Thanks that makes me feel slightly less like an idiot for arguing with those people.

 

[CardSharp]

The Article Lemur linked to

Time to put China in its place


China's is an ancient civilisation. It can legitimately pride itself on the quintessential wisdom of thinkers and philosophers who have left their impact on every aspect of life. Indeed, the Chinese polity has its moorings in the comprehensive value system handed down by them that is meant to govern the daily conduct of the people as also those in positions of authority and power. But the needling of neighbours on the slightest pretext by the present-day Chinese rulers makes one wonder whether the compulsive itch to play realpolitik is throwing overboard the heritage of noble tenets and traditions honed for over 5,000 years.

For instance, Confucius is China's patron saint by whom even the Communist ideologues swear, at least outwardly. It is from his famous aphorisms that Mao borrowed “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let hundred thoughts contend”, only to be subsequently trampled underfoot.

One of the imperative dicta of Confucius is that China's relations with other peoples and countries should be founded on the sacred principle of harmony and the golden law of reciprocity, defined as putting oneself in the other's place, whatever one does. One need not go as far back as Confucius. Speaking to the US Army War College some time ago, General Li Jijun, then Vice-President of the Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), referred to an ancient Chinese motto that admonished people, “Never do to others what you do not like others to do to you” ( ji suo bu yu, wu shi yu ren), and added: “China's history and the way the Chinese people understand their own civilisation militate against any desire for aggression. Over thousands of years the pursuit of peace has been thoroughly absorbed into the Chinese national psyche…”

Sardonic smile

He also paid glowing tribute to the ancient Chinese military thinker, Mo Zi, who lived five centuries before Christ, and was the father of the concept of “non-offence” ( feigong), that advocated ‘accommodating' rather than provocative actions.

The people of India, for many of whom the memory of 1962 is still fresh, should be pardoned if they react to this recital with a sardonic smile. The behaviour of the market socialist Chinese regime towards India in recent years has not only been at odds with the teachings of Confucius and claims of the PLA General but can fairly be described as immature, even childish.

It is always possible for two national Governments, particularly of adjacent countries, not to see eye to eye on some issues. In such a situation, it is expected of mature Governments to seek to deal with them at the policy level and set up mechanisms that will take such issues towards resolution in the spirit of the ancient Chinese motto mentioned by the PLA General, and not to unilaterally go about indulging in irritating displays of carping pettifoggery. The pinpricks that China had been giving to India in the past in the form of border incursions, questioning the status of Arunachal Pradesh, raising frivolous objections to the visits of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the Dalai Lama to that State, refusing visas to the IAS trainees belonging to that State, and resorting to issue of stapled visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir are certainly not befitting the dignity and sobriety normally associated with ancient cultural values.

Now comes the refusal of China to ‘host' General B. S. Jaswal, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of India's Northern Command, who was to lead the team for the fourth defence dialogue, to be held in Beijing.

The reason mentioned (that he came from the “sensitive location of Jammu and Kashmir” and “people from this part of the world come with a different kind of visa&#8221 is of a piece with China's past record of insensitivity and arrogance.

Hegemonistic ambitions

What is the justification for China viewing Jammu and Kashmir as a ‘sensitive location'? Is it insinuating that it does not regard the State as an integral part of India? Or is it that the location has become ‘sensitive' because China is preparing the ground to lay claim to some part of the territory? Worse still, has China decided to gang up with Pakistan to ‘bleed' India in whatever manner possible?

Whatever it is, it takes the cake for impudence beyond belief, raising the question how and why China, with all the advantage of ancient wisdom, has failed to realise that this is no way to “clarify concerns, deepen mutual trust and coordinate stances” which was the stated purpose of the defence dialogue.

What is most baffling is China being oblivious to the greatest harm it is doing to itself as a result of the cumulative effect of these annoying incidents.

It is providing vindication to those who have been venting their suspicion of its hegemonistic ambitions and is fast alienating a constituency in India which, however small, had been braving public opprobrium and advocating an early settlement of the border dispute in a spirit of give-and-take to usher in an era of peace and friendship with China.

Apparently, winning friends and influencing people is not China's forte. Given China's deliberate policy of keeping India on tenterhooks by manufacturing a series of untenable pretexts, reminiscent of the famous fable of the wolf and the lamb, it should not be surprising if the significance of India's mild but pained response to the blackballing of Gen Jaswal is totally lost on the powers-that-be in Beijing.

New Delhi must understand that mere half measures will not do. The defence dialogue has never been much to speak of from its initiation in 2008. At best, it was exploratory at the periphery of India-China relations and never went in depth into any substantive issues relating to Defence and security collaboration, the implications of China's maritime pretensions or the China-Pakistan axis spiting India an every count.

China has handed on a platter an opportunity for Indian policy-makers to scrap altogether the wholly fruitless and wasteful make-believe of a dialogue and deal with emerging issues as they arise.

In any case, the strategic imperatives and the composition and configuration of forces of both countries are so far apart that a common defence dialogue is an illusory luxury

 

[CardSharp]

The article trods out the same tired views that the times does and completely misunderstands/misinterprets Confucian teaching and Chinese culture.

BUT I liked it and still hold a good opinion of the Hindu as a paper. It was very well written and interesting to read, and the Hindu rightly puts it in the opinion section. Journalistically the Hindu understands the difference between opinion pieces and factual reporting. Contrast this to that rag ToI, who hires people who can barely string a complete sentence together and is written for the lowest common dominator with no journalistic integrity at all.