We need to know the real China

I was born a few years after China and India were involved in a military conflict. For a while, there was a lot of negative stereotype about the Chinese people and their leaders in India. Although the views petered out after some time, it has spread again, especially in the Indian media, perhaps fuelled by the relationship between some Indian political leaders and their Western allies.

A childhood friend from India who lived in China for some time was the only one who had good things to say about China. Otherwise, it was as if we were encouraged to be hostile to the Chinese, while forgiving and moving along happily with other countries that had caused the greatest damage to India.

Only when I, as a student in the United States, met and made friends with Chinese people that I saw how incorrect the myths about them were. Even now I often hear negative talk about China and the Chinese people, but mostly it is tinged with some not-so-well-hidden envy at the rapid progress China has made. I think we should be happy when a country prospers through hard work and honest trade as China has.

KIyer, on China Daily forum

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