The following are headlines and extracts of English translations of selected India related articles in five Chinese official newspapers of the last few days, since the column of July 21, 2017.
The contents of these opinion pieces etc. (published in Chinese) are meant for domestic (Chinese) audiences, unlike the commentaries put out in their English language newspapers and media platforms (which are aimed at external audiences abroad).
They therefore represent authentic perceptions of the ruling Communist Party elite that have been determined to be appropriate for being placed in the public domain, for feeding Chinese public opinion. And are of value for the clues they provide to official China’s thinking about India at thr current juncture, when India-China relations are at a nadir.
In contrast, the projections made in the English language platforms of China do not represent anything authentic; they are more propaganda bluff and bluster that do not deserve to be taken seriously. Regrettably, however, it is these that are taken as the authentic view and voice of official China in the country.
This makes the Indian discourse on China vulnerable to the time-honoured Chinese stratagem of psy-war and mind-control. Disinformation (not excluding deception) and diversion of the enemy’s attention in desired directions (away from the true action centres) are known to be essential ingredients of Chinese statecraft, steeled as it has been in the art of “prevailing in a conflict with another state” by a tradition, going back all the way to Sun Tzu, that regards war as representing the “natural and inevitable condition of humankind”.
This column is a step towards remedying that gap. It is featured in collaboration with the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, who sponsor the “India in the Chinese Media” project (www.niasindiainchina.in). Queries can be addressed to Ambassador Saurabh Kumar, the anchor of the project, at saurabhkumar1610@gmail.com.
July 25th, 2017 Global Times (Chinese)
EDITORIAl: HIGH lEVEl OFFICIAl VISIT TO CHINA OR NOT, INDIA MUST WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS UNCONDITIONAllY
… We do not believe that India has the will and determination to force a complete military showdown with China. If India really does that, we will fight to the end and resist in defence of our territorial integrity, and in order not to let any forces intimidate us in any way or hold us hostage. India will be made to pay a heavy price.
Withdrawing its troops voluntarily will be the least cost solution for India. If the Chinese side is required to deploy its forces fully, make more breaches across the existing line of Actual Control and take counter measures, New Delhi will fall further into a political and military (abyss of) passivity, and India will face its most serious setback since 1962.
CHINA WARNS INDIA NOT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES
(Main article on the front page)
WHAT CAN INDIAN ARMY DEPEND ON “IN WAR WITH PlA” IJ
(An incredibly comic attempt to boost PlA and public morale by running down the combat readiness of the Indian Army based on a pot-pourri of sundry claims/reports from time to time.)
NOT SO EASY FOR JAPAN AND INDIA TO CONTAIN CHINA
(Extracted from a US Wall Street Journal Article of July 23rd )
July 25th, 2017 PlA Daily (Chinese)
IT’S ENTIRElY THE RESPONSIBIlITY OF INDIA, SO CHINA WIll NOT COMPROMISE
(Based entirely on MOFA spokesperson’s briefing on July 24th)
July 25th, 2017 Jiefang Daily (Chinese)
NO DISPUTE OVER SOVEREIGNTY OF THE DONG lANG AREA
(Based entirely on MOFA spokesperson’s briefing on July 24th)
HISTORY PROVES: IT’S EASY TO SHAKE THE MOUNTAIN, BUT IT’S DIFFICUlT TO SHAKE THE PlA
(Based on the State Council Information Office press conference of the 24th)
July 24th, 2017 Global Times (Chinese)
INDIAN EXPERTS: WHAT INDIA SHOUlD DO IS TO WITHDRAW QUIETlY
(Based on views of Dr Sourabh Gupta and Shri Manoj Joshi)
THE RISE OF THE INDIAN “UNTOUCHABlE” CASTE
AVOID WEARING REVEAlING DRESSES IN INDIA
EAST ASIAN WOMEN VUlNERABlE TO GROPING IN SRI lANKA
July 23rd, 2017 Global Times (Chinese)
INDIAN ARMY FIRES ON PAKISTANI CIVIlIANS IN KASHMIR
July 22nd, 2017 Global Times (Chinese)
“SINO-INDIAN BOUNDARY STAND-OFF” ROIlED IN INDIA
July 21st, 2017 Global Times (Chinese)
EDITORIAl: MIlITARY CONFlICT SURE TO ESCAlATE IF INDIA REFUSES TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS
INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ClAIMS SUPPORT OF All COUNTRIES FOR INDIA
lEARNING OF BOYCOTT OF CHINESE GOODS, CHINESE BUSINESSMEN BEGIN TO COMPlAIN
KOVIND BECOMES THE SECOND INDIAN PRESIDENT FROM ‘UNTOUCHABlE’ CASTE