India’s ban on Chinese apps is hurting Beijing’s economic interests and the state media has dragged Indian citizens into its narrative

China is trying to get back at India for banning scores of apps by using Indian expats living in the mainland as pawns.

A video released by The Global Times, the state’s mouthpiece, shows a couple - an Indian woman, named Shree, and a Chinese man, said a report in WION. “Will you divorce me if the India-China relationship becomes more complicated? Shree asked her Chinese husband as a joke,” says the report.

The term divorce comes up with the strained relations between India and China due to the June 15 Galwan Valley standoff. The report also attributes it to India banning the Chinese apps. “A ban which according to the Global Times has turned Shree’s life upside down,” it said.

China’s state media is using an Indian face to achieve its propaganda. The report says that this isn’t the first time that China has dragged foreign citizens into its quarrels with other countries.

Two years ago, it was the Canadian diaspora which was their target as the Canadian government had arrested Huawei Technologies executive on charges of fraud. “In retaliation, China arrested two Canadians Michael Covrig and Micheal Apavor on unproven charges of espionage,” the WION report said.

And now, India and China’s relations are at a new low. The report pointed out that India’s ban on Chinese apps is hurting Beijing’s economic interests and the state media has dragged Indian citizens into its narrative.

Read the full report in WION