'US embarrassed, will step in to mediate': Chinese media on India-Canada tension

The US might quickly “mediate” to resolve the India-Canada row, said a Chinese media outlet, amid escalating tensions between the Canadian and Indian governments. The newspaper added that the West's praise for India’s democracy is driven by geopolitical interests, and its alliance is now facing an embarrassment. 

The opinion piece in Chinese mouthpiece, Global Times, came amid multiple reports that had suggested that the Canada and US ‘worked closely’ on the intelligence that pointed towards the involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Western media had also reported that Canada had sought a public condemnation of Nijjar’s killing from its closest allies, including Washington but the requests were turned down. A report in The Washington Post suggested that the US has been put in a spot as the Biden administration and its allies have been working to court India that they see as a “crucial counterweight” against China. 

The Chinese media, on the other hand, believes that the Western alliance formed by the US, including India, is “facing increasing embarrassment”. In the Global Times piece, it said that this episode demonstrates the “vulnerability of the US in building such alliances”.  

Also read: Now, India issues advisory for its citizens in Canada amid row over Khalistani's killing

“Both India and Canada have expelled senior officials from each other, and if the India-Canada relationship continues to deteriorate, the US might quickly step in to "mediate”. After all, for the US, intervening in Canada's affairs is a familiar and easy task,” it said. 

The opinion piece added that Western countries claim to be defenders of human rights and are often found criticising other nations for their human rights issues. “Their praise for India's so-called "democracy" is primarily driven by geopolitical interests and the desire to include India in their anti-China alliance,” it said, adding that the “Western elites” are aware of the differences between Indian democracy and their own. Many in the West don’t support India’s religious and minority policies, it said. 

The editorial quoted National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University director Qian Feng, who said that the US has been waving a banner of common values of democracy and freedom in an attempt to contain China. The West is willing to turn a blind eye to what they believe are human rights abuses, which exposes their hypocrisy, said Feng. 

Shanghai Institute for International Studies research fellow Zhao Gancheng said that it is questionable if the Westerners “genuinely consider India as a democratic country like themselves”. “It's just that currently India is useful to Westerners, so they take advantage of the situation,” said Gancheng.

Tensions between India and Canada are at an all-time high after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in the killing of Nijjar. Canada also expelled an Indian diplomat soon after. India dismissed the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated”, adding that Canada has been turning a blind eye to India’s concerns about separatist activities. India summoned the Canadian High Commissioner and expelled a diplomat in retaliation. Following this Canada issued an advisory to Canadians in India and asked them to be alert and avoid non-essential travel to the country. India has also now issued an advisory to Indian nationals in Canada. The government issued the advisory “in view of the growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada”. 

Also read: Canada, US worked ‘very closely’ to look into India’s link to Nijjar’s killing: Report

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