The Chinese reaction to President Obama’s recent visit to India does come as a surprise. Here’s a major player on the international stage with bulging pockets. It carries a big stick as well. People are mindful, respectful. Although they are watchful, and sometimes even resentful, they do business with it — to mutual advantage.
A country of such prominence — and yes, influence — would have been expected to be more dignified in its response. That would have been a sign of maturity. In matters of substance, nuancing and calibration was called for, if a need for a response was felt at all.
Xinhua, China’s leading news agency which reflects the thinking of the ruling Communist Party, was off the block even before the US President’s visit concluded. It noted that the American leader’s visit had only led to a “superficial rapprochement” between India and the US. Beijing could surely have done better than that. First things first — there was no breach or skirmish, so where is the question of a rapprochement?
The reaction of the Global Times, the paper of the Chinese government, and the People’s Daily, the official mouthpiece of the CPC, was a distinct improvement on Xinhua. The nub of their remarks was that the US was trying to ensnare India into a “trap” of rivalry with China at a time when India and China flag the benefit they derive from their relationship, rather than the differences emanating from an undefined boundary.
The relationship with Beijing will always be of considerable importance to India. China is a powerful neighbour. But it is unbecoming of Beijing to resent an upgrading of India-US ties even in respect of the Asia-Pacific maritime theatre, not least when it is considered that China has courted America since the Cold War era and has maintained economic ties with it over since decades.
Another thing — China has been busy as a beaver marking out territories for action in South Asia, to the extent of sometimes raising concerns in New Delhi. India would not be remiss if its analysts saw this as attempted containment of India. While President Obama was in India, the Chinese called Pakistan their “irreplaceable all-weather ally”. Well, so be it. These are hardly matters for India to be shuddering about and calling China names. Beijing too should take a more balanced view of things.
