It says something about China’s social media platform Weibo (with an estimated 580 million monthly viewers), that Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine became a major topic of discussion and debate. But here’s the flip side. As soon as Modi’s visit began trending, eight out of the top 50 hashtags of the day were mysteriously filled with negative content about India, spreading largely unfavorable narratives.
Chinese Netizens Responded To Modi’s Ukraine Visit
But first the positive. Some Chinese netizens responded to Modi’s visit, lauding the effort with one user commenting, “Modi really has something.” In effect, he was complimenting Modi for landing up in Kyiv a little over one month after meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Another user called him “a politically mature person” in a trending post featuring Modi with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
But as has been noticed in the past, anything positive about India on Weibo is frowned upon by the authorities. This time too, they were true to form. Within a matter of hours, negative narratives about India began to pop up, and it was not long before the top eight trending hashtags focus on adverse perceptions about India.
Sample this, a verified account supportive of the Chinese Communist Party, which posted the following comments on Weibo: “Modi’s visit to Ukraine shows the cunning of Indians. There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests.”
It then went on to add comments that had nothing to do with Modi’s visit to Ukraine or Russia or Indian diplomacy in general. It pointed to India’s infrastructure shortcomings and included claims that women are not safe there.
The divide between what individual users said about the Modi visit, contrasted with how official channels worked to turn the narrative around to show India in a poor light. It underscored an important point: everyone wants the Ukraine war to end, including the Chinese. But China is also trying to position itself as a peacemaker, hoping to cement its position with Europe while also reining in Russia so it can displace it as the major power in Eurasia.
Pictures of Modi and the Ukrainian president hugging, and the Indian leader with his hand on Zelenskyy’s shoulder carry a powerful message and do hint that China has a competitor for the peacemaker role. What’s probably upsetting for the Chinese authorities is the sight of their own citizens lauding Modi’s efforts.
The Chinese may have a point that India’s infrastructure is not equal to what they have built over the last 30 years. But India is getting there and the clash in the Galwan Valley partly reflected Beijing’s insecurity over India’s road building in the high Himalayas.
Women Safety In China
As for the negative comments about women’s safety, about a year ago, StratNews Global published an article drawing from a debate on Weibo about Chinese society, especially how some men treated women. A hashtag about a man filming salon staff in a restroom gained 27 million views but then quickly disappeared, suggesting it was removed by government censors (June 22, 2023). If you want to read that article please visit :
StratNewsGlobal : China’s Toxic Culture: Women Objectified, Harassed, and Secretly Filmed
Women working in the United Nations made a video with their colleagues in China on ending violence against women and girls. Domestic violence, incidentally is a major issue in China.
An article in the online magazine Rest of World, explored the feminist movement in China noting both the advances made and the persisting challenges. It discusses problems like gender-based violence, harassment, and the difficulties in enforcing laws, while also examining how social attitudes and systemic issues affect women’s safety and equality.
The challenges facing women in China are probably exacerbated by the political environment. Anything that could even remotely counter the prevailing order is put down, or as in the Weibo case, censored. It speaks for the maturity of many Chinese Weibo users that they are able to discern the ‘wheat from the chaff’, and praise where they see something positive. More strength to their arm.
https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/cn-c629-unwomen-china-newsletter_en.pdf
https://restofworld.org/2023/china-online-feminist-movement/
