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Racism in China

Posted August. 19, 2017 07:13,   

Updated August. 19, 2017 07:46

한국어

China and India were involved in territorial disputes for two months in October 1962. China felt uncomfortable to the fact Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama allowed to establish the Government of Tibet in Exile in Dharamshala, north India three years ago. In an attempt to end a long-pending border disputes, China attacked India in October of the same year. Although China took the victory with increasing vigor as the nation meticulously prepared the war, it declared a unilateral ceasefire due to potentially serious changes in dynamics of international relations such as the U.S. and Russia at the request of India.

Disputes between the two Asian giants started again in 25 years and they were in a volatile situation. China attempted to construct a road on the Doklam (or Donglang in China) area located at tri-junction among India, Bhutan and China two months ago and it was another beginning of their standoffs. The plateau is the border area disputed between Bhutan and China, but it soon escalated into conflicts between China and India as India supported Bhutan as its ally. Now, the border conflict is spreading to diplomacy and trade wars.

To make matters worse, China made another attack. The Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of the Chinese government, released a propaganda video that lambasts India over a border dispute, sparking accusations of racism. The English language clip "The Spark" was posted on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter and it featured a Chinese actor in a Sikh turban. Sikhs have very small populations in India but they have huge social and economic influence on Indian society. The video titled "7 Sins of India," which ridicules India, has been met with anger not only from India but also from Sikhs across the world.

The video depicted India as a shameless thief and was made in an attempt to promote China’s position to the world, and it met a headwind immediately. As it was the government’s official press agency, representing the voice of China, that explicitly expressed racism that could not be accepted in a civilized country. South Koreans know it well that China does not hesitate to take an extreme action for its own interest thanks to its retaliation on South Korea over the THAAD deployment issue. The world, however, cannot contain its shock to see the video. China went too far this time. China should have kept the dignity.



mskoh119@donga.com