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Chinese state media has another video on Doklam, minus the overt racism
Chinese news agency tries a different tack with a video explainer claiming “sober, cooperative solution is in need to tackle China-India border standoff”.
After last week’s bizarre, racist anti-India video, Beijing mouthpiece Xinhua is trying a “sober” approach.
It’s still pretty silly, but at least we’re spared the Chinese actors trying to pass off for Sikhs... and the unintentionally hilarious beards.
This time, Chinese news agency tries a different tack with a video explainer on the Doklam standoff that features a newsman in a suit arguing, not that China is right, but that India is wrong: why, is never explained.
There is even a vaguely conciliatory reference to the two countries’ great histories, during which the video shows a montage of the famous Xian warriors, followed (inexplicably) by a snippet featuring a camel caravan that is presumably meant to represent India!
Bhutan, the country caught in the middle of it all, gets no mention.
Still, there’s no overt racism in the new video, which must count as an improvement. This might even pass for a sign of grudging respect.
What explains the change of tone? Perhaps it’s an acknowledgment that last week’s video went too far into crazytown. Or perhaps, a recognition that the Dokram affair will not be resolved by blatant propaganda directed at Indians, especially when their own response has been to laugh out loud.
Far be it for us to suggest that the video Hindustan Times commissioned, featuring comedienne Vasu Primlani had anything to do with it...
