A Pooh and a bear-hugger

“ANYTHING Xi can do, I can do better,” seemed to be the mantra of Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, as he toured America in late September, hot on the heels of China’s president, Xi Jinping. Both started on the west coast, seeking to charm the bosses of technology firms: both made speeches at the UN; and both met President Barack Obama. Above all, both sought to burnish their images with their own people at home and with Americans. Mr Modi perhaps wanted to show America how important a friend he can be; Mr Xi to prove that he is not yet an enemy. By those criteria, Mr Modi had the more successful American journey. But it also served as a reminder of how far India lags behind China in global clout.

Mr Modi’s tour was tacked on to his attendance at the UN’s summit on sustainable development. By contrast, Mr Xi’s was much the grander affair. He was making his first formal state visit, with the full panoply of White House pomp. China’s official press compared its importance to the famous goodwill tour made by Deng Xiaoping in 1979, the first visit by a Chinese leader after the two countries established diplomatic relations. The same press also tried hard to present a cuddly image of Mr Xi, after the bad publicity China has received under his rule for its bullying of neighbours and its worsening repression at home. The People’s Daily, the Communist Party mouthpiece,produced a video of foreign students in China gushing about “Uncle Xi”: “wise and resolute”, “handsome”, “super-charismatic”, “a little bit cute”, “Winnie the Pooh”, etc, etc. It appeared not to be a joke.