Recently, a commentary appeared in China’s state-run newspaper Global Times, in which India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar was described as an ‘obstacle’ in the way of improving China-India relations. However, if we take a closer look at the discussions going on in China about India, it becomes clear that the opposition against improving China-India relations is coming from the Chinese society itself.
It is true that a section of the Chinese strategic community wants to create a positive atmosphere for improving China-India relations, and it is also showing that tensions between the two countries are gradually easing. Similarly, there are discussions on the Chinese Internet about a possible ‘reset’ in bilateral relations, even if it is only ‘strategic’.
It is being argued that there have been signs of improvement in China-India relations since 2024, especially with increased high-level dialogue between the two countries. In July, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Jaishankar in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The two met again in Vientiane, Laos in late August. Such high-level meetings have been rare in the last four years, which sends positive signals domestically and internationally. Apart from high-level talks, some progress has also been seen in consultations on the border dispute.
In late July and August, the two sides held the 30th and 31st border affairs consultations in New Delhi and Beijing. As the talks deepened, India is also said to have made changes to its China policy, gradually easing restrictions on Chinese investment and showing a positive attitude in granting visas to Chinese people.
The Chinese side also believes that public opinion in India is also gradually changing, and there is a growing consensus on the need to re-establish China-India economic relations, which is essential for India’s own economic development. Some Chinese experts believe that these efforts are aimed at creating the right atmosphere for the meeting of the two heads of state during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kazan for the upcoming BRICS summit.
Why are rumours of conflict spreading?
On the other hand, in the last few days, sensational news of fresh clashes between Chinese and Indian soldiers have been running on Chinese social media such as Douyin and TikTok. These reports said that soon after the 31st China-India border affairs consultation meeting, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) crossed the LAC and chased the Indian Army. It entered 20 kilometers inside and lost 6 of its soldiers in the process, but eventually recaptured the Chumar bunkers.
The timing, location and details of this news (even including the names of the victims) were presented so accurately and professionally that it created a stir on the Chinese Internet. On September 6, the PLA’s Western Theater Command had to intervene and issue a statement. It said, ‘The Internet is not a lawless place! The spread of rumors related to the army must be stopped!’
Media platforms considered close to the Chinese government such as the South Asia Studies Newsletter (南亚研究通讯) did their best to refute these ‘rumours’ and pointed out that this ‘misinformation campaign’ is completely out of context with the current improving China-India relations.
Others blamed it on some selfish groups trying to spoil the positive trend in China-India relations. However, the general public was not fully satisfied with these explanations and wondered if the rumours could be true. A post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, read: “There is no smoke without fire! The timing of the announcement may be contrary to national strategy.”
For India, this is a reminder of the events of 2013 and 2014, when high-level talks between China and India took place in the shadow of serious border conflicts. Therefore, we should learn the lesson that we should be prepared for conflict even during peace talks with China.
(Antara Ghoshal Singh is a Fellow at ORF, New Delhi. She graduated from National Tsing Hua University, China and has been a Chinese Language Fellow at National Central University, Taiwan. The views expressed in this article are the author’s personal.)
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