A “racist” video was posted online by Chinese state media and Indians have reacted with bemusement and outrage. The post was as a result of a highly charged border dispute between the two countries which has entered its third month. It all began when Indian soldiers crossed into Bhutanese territory in mid-June to block Chinese soldiers from upgrading a road that Beijing says is within its borders. Preventing the construction, Bhutanese leaders claimed that it belonged to them.
Chinese state broadcaster Xinhua published a video on Wednesday highlighting India’s “seven sins” in relation to the standoff. As the presenter listed India’s perceived misdeeds, the video repeatedly cuts to a Chinese man wobbling his head, wearing a fake beard and turban, and appearing to feign an Indian English accent. The turbaned character in the video mocks India’s reaction to the Chinese roadwork, which he likens to someone “building a path in his garden”. The footage is part of a recently launched series called The Spark which appears to be aimed at foreign audience. Indians on Twitter have called the video’s exaggerated, while a major Indian newspaper criticised in a caption that read “collage of poorly designed graphics replete with the soundtrack of canned laughter”.
#TheSpark: 7 Sins of India. It’s time for India to confess its SEVEN SINS. pic.twitter.com/vb9lQ40VPH
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) August 16, 2017
Photo Credit: Getty
