HIGHPolitical
Why does China portray India as an elephant? Decoding the politics of animal analogy
🇮🇳 IndiaMay 3, 2026 04:00SRC: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POSTBY: Nayan Seth
INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY
In December 2010, on the final day of his three-day India visit, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao offered a metaphorical vision for bilateral ties, suggesting that “the dragon and the elephant should tango”. The analogy – dragon for China, elephant for India – had already circulated in Western academic and media circles as a comparative frame. With Wen’s remark, it formally entered China’s diplomatic lexicon. Over the past 15 years, through cycles of border tensions and uneasy resets, China’s...
DETAILED REPORT
In December 2010, on the final day of his three-day India visit, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao offered a metaphorical vision for bilateral ties, suggesting that “the dragon and the elephant should tango”.
The analogy – dragon for China, elephant for India – had already circulated in Western academic and media circles as a comparative frame. With Wen’s remark, it formally entered China’s diplomatic lexicon.
Over the past 15 years, through cycles of border tensions and uneasy resets, China’s...
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