Some Chinese netizens posted that they saw physically able Indians using wheelchairs at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. This quickly drew criticism, with such behavior being called a waste of public resources and arguing that wheelchairs should not be provided to people without disabilities. The airport responded by stating that the wheelchairs were supplied by the airlines, not the airport itself.
There have also been numerous posts on Chinese social media complaining about Indians sitting in wheelchairs at airports around the world. Some Chinese netizens commented, “This trend has finally reached China!”
According to the Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Press and Publication’s new media outlet “Xiangyang Video”, customer service at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport responded that the airport’s wheelchairs are only used outside the security checkpoint. The wheelchairs used by the Indians in the circulated photos were inside the security area, so they were not provided by the airport, but by the airlines themselves.
Recently, several pieces of negative news relating to Indians have emerged online in China. Upstream News reported that on the 23rd, some netizens claimed that Indian tourists were suspected of stealing women's clothing at the Yiwu night market, and after being discovered, surrounded the shop's owner. Related videos went viral on social media. Police responded that, after verification, it was a foreigner who “forgot to pay” for one piece of clothing. After communication, the misunderstanding was resolved on the spot and payment was made.
Earlier this month, some tourists filmed three Indian tourists at the Lushan scenic area in Jiangxi, bathing without clothes and playing with rescue rings in a protected area. Related tags trended on social media. The scenic area issued a statement on the 14th, saying the incident took place this April and was only recently posted online, drawing attention. The area is now strengthening management and expressed deep apologies for lapses in supervision.