Chinese ambassador’s ‘Shut Up’ to Indian Journalist

On November 3 Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang attended a press conference in New Delhi for the announcement of a US$400 million investment in India by TBEA, a Chinese energy company. The two-stage investment would involve the manufacture of transformers in the western state of Gujarat. Then:

Reporters noticed that a map in a Chinese brochure about an investment in India showed the Indian border state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of China and also challenged India’s claims in the Kashmir region.

“Peppered with questions on the map showing Arunachal Pradesh [which China claims as part of its sovereign territory called Zhangnan or South Tibet] and Ladakh in China and Kashmir in Pakistan, Zhang Yan told the journalist to ‘shut up’,”

Undemocratic and undiplomatic behaviour of the Chinese ambassador in India – Tarun Vijay
Friday, 04 November 2011

Press Statement by BJP National Spokesperson and MP, Shri Tarun Vijay on the undemocratic and undiplomatic behaviour of the Chinese ambassador in India

While we welcome friendship and growing bilateral trade with China, specially when our friends from Xinjiang had come for a first trade agreement in Delhi, it should be taken as a positive step towards confidence building measure. But it would be living in a self deception if the increasing level of Chinese arrogance is not taken note of and appropriately responded to.

The Chinese arrogance and intransigence, showed its another low yesterday when Their ambassador in Delhi used an undiplomatic and undemocratic language in a public function, trying to ‘shut up’ an Indian media person, who was raising a very legitimate and valid query. Obviously Chinese ambassador forgot that he is posted in a vibrant democracy where Tia En Men episodes are not allowed and media is free and not a state run apparatus taking orders from party bosses who can ‘shut up’ a journalist.

We still remember with angst how the Chinese had called our the then envoy in Beijing , Mrs Nirupama Rao in the wee hours of morning to protest a demonstration in Delhi and every time our Prime Minister or President visits Arunachal Pradesh, their ambassador in Delhi registers an objectionable protest. Chinese opposition to ADB loan to India, stapled visa to Indian residents of J&K are other few instances in a chain of such acts showing China’s so called ‘warmth and friendly gestures’.

We find the behaviour of the Chinese ambassador totally unacceptable and insulting to the democracy of India and demand an unqualified apology from the ambassador to the people of India for presenting a wrong map of India while trying to get trade and economic benefits from us and using undemocratic and bad street language against a respectable member of Indian media fraternity. They want our market but not the heart, its quite obvious, but they shouldn’t be allowed to walk away with such brazen acts of undiplomatic behaviour. We hope this government will take note of the ambassador’s foul mouthing yesterday and warn him officially not to indulge in such unfriendly acts in future.

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