“Deconstructing China’s diplomatic readouts: Why does Beijing push disinformation through official documents?”, First Post, July 27, 2026
“India and China have made overtures to draw closer since the October 2024 disengagement deal for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh. Both sides have taken proactive, positive steps such as settling on a coordinated patrolling agreement to reduce friction, engagement at the topmost level between the two principals – such as Narendra Modi’ meeting with Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Kazan, frequent diplomatic dialogues, restoring of direct flights, resumption of visa services and so on.
And yet there remains a yawning trust deficit. It surfaces in the oddest of ways. For instance, in the arena of diplomacy, the official readout is traditionally a dry, negotiated document reflecting cautious choice of words. It is designed to reflect shared understandings, acknowledge differences with maybe a touch of understatement, and serve as a baseline for future engagements.
When it comes to diplomatic engagement with China, however, there is always a “readout gap……..”
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