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NEW DELHI: State-run Chinese media took pot shots at the free press in democratic India and blamed it for "stirring up negative sentiments" against China.The Indian press, the state-run Global Times wrote, grabs "all the attention they want like always" and therefore it's also responsible for causing deterioration in the Indian public's views of China."The Chinese paper says that "clearly", the free press in India "has not yet learned to see the considerable potential of the bilateral relationships with a constructive mind-set." And Global Times also felt it necessary to caution the India media about the 'West.'"The West is taking delight in driving a wedge between Beijing and New Delhi. Media from both countries should therefore be more cautious not to fall for that," it wrote.Global Times, one of a stable of several state-run Chinese news agencies, also pointed out the phrases and ideas it finds egregious that are common in Indian media's articles."They (Indian media) tend to attach more attention to divergences while overstating contradictions between the two. Words like 'invasion' or 'transgression' are often used by them to describe Beijing without naming sources, and the 'China threat theory' has been hyped up by them from time to time.It was commenting in the context of the coverage of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India last week.TOI had reported in a curtain raiser to his trip that Wang would try to ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn't join other countries in raising the controversial issue of the South China Sea during the upcoming G20 meeting early next month.Global Times didn't like that. "Unlike the Indian media's tone, there is no need for Beijing to beg for New Delhi's favour," it wrote.It wrote that this was a "negative" sentiment and that Wang's tour was "focused on cooperation over the upcoming G20 and BRICS summits.""...quite a few Indian media started to cover the tour a week ago with the eye-catching headline 'China blocked India's NSG bid, but now wants help on South China Sea,' " Global Times wrote. And after "negative hype over Sino-Indian ties by Indian media for a long ... they did it again this time," it added.In fact, prior to Wang's visit, the same state-run Global Times warned that India's focus on the South China Sea will harm its ties with China and create obstacles for Indian businessmen.The Chinese news outlet again brought up the issue of India's not getting membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the supposed tit for tat by India in not renewing three Chinese journalists' visas."Given the recent frictions between the two countries, including the NSG issue and New Delhi's rejection of visa extension requests for Chinese reporters, there are indeed certain puzzles left unresolved in the bilateral relationship. But they can hardly represent the big picture of Sino-Indian ties," it advised.Like before, the Chinese media stopped short of criticizing the Indian government.In fact, it heaped praise on both the Indian and Chinese governments."...Yet while the Indian government is treating its relations with Beijing rationally, the country's media and public opinion are busy stirring up negative sentiments...Thanks to the efforts of governments from both parties, the two nations have been enhancing collaboration and promoting more communications and mechanisms over bilateral, regional issues," Global Times said expansively.