BRICS Summit: China doles out lessons on 21st century statecraft

NEW DELHI: The manner in which it handled media affairs on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS summit, China, perhaps, also doled out a few lessons for India’s own foreign policy officials in 21st century statecraft.

Unlike other countries, China did not just set up a swish media centre at a fivestar hotel, but also invited the local media to attend all its briefings that were held at regular intervals, spread across two days.

Full Coverage: BRICS Summit

China’s President Hu Jintao wasn’t just accompanied by a few scribes, but all the paraphernalia usually associated with the Americans. Even local Indian journalists were kept informed about briefing timings , and an interpreter was pressed into service to cater to them.

At the main briefing on Thursday afternoon, held shortly after the plenary session, the veritable whose who of the Chinese foreign ministry, led by assistant foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu, was present allowing the delegation to handle all questions with ease.

The reason behind the 30-minute delay of the plenary session in the morning was also revealed here. A senior Chinese official said the session started late because the leaders had been engrossed in a discussion during the earlier restricted session.

The Chinese conduct was in stark contrast to MEA that did not hold any briefing, either on the summit or bilateral meetings, at all. The foreign ministry sets up media centre for journalists accompanying the Prime Minister abroad but rarely does it invite the local media to attend.

For instance, during PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to Cannes last year for G20, local journalists had lodged a protest with Indian officials for this.