Diplomats are meant to be suave, smooth and unflappable. Their training makes them hardy souls, able to handle a fork as well as a demarche. How then does one explain the outburst by China’s ambassador to India, who yelled “shut up” to a persistent journalist? Was it a momentary lapse of reason, or a well-crafted tactic to provoke? Or did he just lose his patience when the reporter didn’t stop asking why a map published by a big Chinese company showed parts of India as Chinese territory?
For the Chinese, the freewheeling Indian media can often be a mystery, even an irritant. Indian politicians, bureaucrats, diplomats and businessmen are used to dealing with questioning and even hectoring hacks. Dealing with aggressive anchors and eager reporters is par for the course for Indian officials. They shrug and move on, and if they do get irritated they just turn their backs. In China, perhaps the press is much more “well-mannered” and “manageable”, and would think several times before badgering a top official with questions.
In the end, the ambassador and the reporter were seen shaking hands, which means all is well — and no notes verbale are likely to be issued. But the external affairs ministry has promised to take up the issue of the misleading map. In the same friendly spirit, the Indian official who sits with the ambassador should perhaps quietly give him a few tips on how to deal with pesky journos. That could do a lot for bilateral relations.