People wait in line to refill empty medical oxygen cylinders for COVID-19 patients in front of a shop in New Delhi, India, April 26, 2021.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
I don’t think the Chinese public hold a collective schadenfreude attitude toward the devastating epidemic in India. It is normal that some are vocal about India’s China stance. It is also normal that there are opinions that may not rest comfortably with some Indians.

Similarly, when China encounters a disaster, there are confrontational, rather than all sympathetic, opinions in the Western and Indian opinion spheres. I don’t think China’s public opinion is “particularly nationalistic.” I don’t think that Chinese people crossed the line, either.

The Chinese people are generally kind and sympathetic and strive for equality. Objectively speaking, the country that suffers the most slings and arrows in the global opinion sphere is China, not any other country. The opinion iron curtain made by the US-led West has caused enormous resentment among the Chinese public. 

China has firmly supported and assisted India at the official level, which represents China’s overall stance, while the various voices in the society show the vitality and diversity of opinion in China. 

On India-related matters, the vibrancy and diversity across China’s opinion sphere is fully displayed. The public has the right to express their opinions, and the authorities have enough leverage to adjust their official stance of the country. The outside world should respect the vitality and diversity of China’s opinion sphere. The discussions that take place within the boundary of China’s opinion sphere should aim at promoting togetherness across Chinese society in a diverse environment, rather than driving a wedge between people.

The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn