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Indian-Chinese Couples: Rebels or Bridge Builders?

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Indian-Chinese Couples: Rebels or Bridge Builders?

Authors Shivaji Das and Yolanda Yu explore the “love and turmoil” faced by Indian-Chinese interracial relationships.

China-India relations have been on ice since 2020, when their troops clashed along the disputed Sino-Indian border. Tensions have continued at the political and military levels ever since, despite continued efforts to de-escalate.

How have these frictions impacted Indian and Chinese exchanges – especially for people with familial ties to the other country?

In the new book, “Rebels, Traitors, and Peacemakers,” Shivaji Das and Yolanda Yu explore the “love and turmoil” faced by Indian-Chinese interracial relationships, which have to contest not only cultural differences and prejudices but also rising tensions between their governments. But is it possible these same couples hold answers for more peaceful relations?

In this episode of “Behind the News,” The Diplomat’s Shannon Tiezzi interviews Yu and Das about their book and the promise and perils of Indian-Chinese relationships.