The Global Times, China’s propaganda mouthpiece, has mentioned in many editorials that India should be careful about the way it responds to American provocations. It should not act in a manner that makes China an adversary. It has stated that India needs China to develop economically. Similar words were echoed when India blocked Chinese investments. The Chinese press has commented, “If India joins the US in confronting China, China will not hesitate to protect its own interests, whether political or economic.
The cost of losing China’s friendship will be too high for India to bear.” China mistakenly believes that its economic and military superiority gives it the power to dominate the region and India must toe its line. Is this a reality? Has China ever considered the impact of having the second most powerful nation in Asia as an enemy? Has it realised that India can, with time, reduce its economic dependency on China, the loss of which would be China’s.
It has possibly ignored the first blunt message sent by India when it imposed restrictions on Chinese investments. China may currently feel secure on Indian policies of Panchsheel and non-interference in their internal matters, but once India changes tack, it could embarrass China. China assumes that its larger military budget and better hybrid warfare capability with non-kinetic weapons would give it an advantage.

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