Dancing and fighting both involve interacting with other people, but with very different purposes – and it is easy to tell the difference between the two. When dancing, the pair holds each other; even when they push each other, one of the two always finds a way to maintain a balance with the partner. During fighting, the fighters hit each other; even when they hold each other, the purpose is to wrestle the opponent down.

Some people like to refer to the competition between China and India as a fight between the dragon and the elephant. However, I would suggest another perspective – the interactions between the two countries, if handled properly, can also be viewed as the dance steps of the dragon and the elephant. Of course, whether or not the dance movements of the two dancers (the two governments) are in harmony depend a lot on the tunes from the band (public opinions of the two countries based on the media reports). If the band is playing Strauss, we can expect a waltz on the stage; if the band is playing charging drums and bugles, we may see fighting scenes on the stage. So, the media in China and India play an important role in shaping the bilateral relations between the two neighbors. 

Earlier this month, after the meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, both sides agreed that despite some problems, the bilateral relations are generally good and stable. While Wang Yi called for more efforts to build mutual trust to avoid conflicts such as the Donglang (Doklam) standoff, Sushma Swaraj stressed that India attaches great importance to its relations with China and that the two countries should work together to enhance co-operations in various fields. The Indian Foreign Ministry said the meeting gave “fresh momentum to our bilateral relationship.” 

But, while the two governments try to coordinate each other’s choreography, there are some discords from the band. 

The Donglang (Doklam) standoff between India and China ended peacefully on August 28, but the issue once again became a hot topic for some members of the Indian media recently. According to the Times of India, there are about 1,800 Chinese army personnel present in the area, building roads and upgrading existing ones. The Chinese soldiers have also constructed two helipads, shelters and stores to survive the region’s tough winter conditions. A senior Indian Army commander was quoted by the local media as saying that the Indian Army is already “well-positioned in the region with several units in Sikkim facing the Chinese in Doklam” and that the army is “in high spirits” to deal with any challenges.

However, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs refuted the reports. Raveesh Kumar, a spokesperson of the Ministry, was quoted as saying: “We have seen recent reports on Doklam. There are no new developments at the face-off site and its vicinity since the August 28 disengagement. The status quo prevails in this area. Any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect.”

So, when we judge a dance performance, we should not only watch the dancers on the stage, but also pay due attention to the music coming from the band in the orchestra pit. I hope the band members share their responsibility in generating both applauses and boos from the audience.

(With a doctoral degree in communications from the China University of Communications, the author has been working in the field of international journalism for 30 years. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the view of CGTN. )