Indians say Chinese state media video is racist

An actor on Chinese state media portrays an Indian man (Internet)

DUBAI: The Chinese state news media Xinhua has been slammed by Indians after publishing a video that some say is racist.
The video, tagged the “7 Sins of India” is presented by an English-speaking Chinese woman who opens with the comment: “It’s been two months since Indian troops illegally crossed the China-India boundary, but so far India has shown no sign of withdrawal at all.”
She is referring to the dispute between the two countries which has led to a standoff at the Doklam plateau, from where, recently, video footage was shared showing troops throwing stones at each other.
The woman goes on to claim: “On June 18 Indian border troops carrying weapons and driving bulldozers illegally crossed the delimited boundary into the undisputed Chinese territory.”
The Xinhua video published online shows an actor in a turban with fake facial hair and speaking in what appears to be a pretend Indian accent.
Reacting to the video the national daily, the Indian Express, slammed the portrayal of an Indian as derogatory and said the rhetoric had reached “alarming levels and crossed every line of decency.”
Meanwhile the Hindustan Times describe the content as a “racist video parodying Indians,” which particularly targeted the Sikh minority.
But both China and Bhutan – an ally of India – claim the territory as their own, although in the video the female presenter says Bhutan does not dispute China’s claim on the land.
China has demanded the withdrawal of the Indian troops before agreeing to any talks between the two countries.
The standoff began two months ago when Indian troops confronted Chinese military working on a road in the area which is deemed strategically important as it is where Tibet, India and Bhutan meet.
India believes the road that is being built by the Chinese poses a “serious security concern.”
There has already been some suggestion that the situation could escalate into an armed conflict.
Reporting on the standoff between the two super powers, the South China Morning Post quoted sources close to the Chinese military as saying the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had plans to deploy aircraft and strategic missiles against India’s troops in the event of conflict breaking out, in order to limit the action to skirmishes.
“The PLA will not seek to fight a ground war with Indian troops early on. Instead it will deploy aircraft and strategic missiles to paralyze Indian mountain divisions stationed in the Himalayas on the border with China,” the anonymous source told the newspaper.