Speaking my truth: China vs India

During a 10-day trip through China—from Hong Kong to Beijing to Fujian—my Indian sister-in-law was turned upside down. She couldn't stop marveling at how advanced the country was: spotless, organized cities, giant skyscrapers, sprawling highways, women safely navigating life and running businesses, high-tech on every corner, and a complex high-speed rail network. You name it.

​To her, comparing India and China is no longer valid: "India is way too backward on all fronts, and China is as good as America, if not better."

​I spent a lot of time explaining the reality behind what she was seeing. While no one should dismiss China’s achievements, I had to remind her:

​"You have no idea how hardworking the Chinese people are—any system would look good with a population like ours. But there are two Chinas. One is the government's China, where every inch of land and every human life belongs to them. We are merely resources to be used, so naturally, they can make the cities look as grand as they want. Then there is the people's China—hidden, voiceless, and invisible. Did you see a single homeless or disabled person on your trip? In all of Beijing, did you see anyone who looked poor? Ask yourself why. The Chinese people would be ten times better off without this autocracy and the turmoil it inflicts on us. We deserve better."

​It is entirely reasonable that visitors and propaganda-fed citizens get carried away by China's glittering surface, falling for the state narrative while ignoring the ruthless reality of authoritarian rule.

​But I refuse to look away. Having grown up stripped of fundamental human rights, I have finally tasted freedom. I know its true value, and I will never trade it for anything—not for immaculate cities, and not for high-speed trains.

​I hadn't planned on writing any of this down—until tonight, when I saw India's youth taking to the streets to protest Modi and his authoritarian-leaning government.

​This is the China I have always dreamed of: people filling the streets, speaking their minds freely, without deeply rooted fear or hesitation. Yet, I know with heavy certainty that seeing a China truly owned by its people—where we don't live in constant, profound fear, but are free to laugh, joke, speak, and exchange ideas—will take generations, perhaps even centuries. And with the regime now wielding absolute control over AI and social media, that reality feels further away than ever.

​So on that front, I actually agree with my sister-in-law: India and China are no longer in the same conversation. But in reality, it is China that lags far behind.

​What my sister-in-law saw as strength was merely the rigid efficiency of absolute control. What I saw in those Indian protesters was something far grander than any high-speed train or glass skyscraper—the messy, unyielding spirit of a free people. China may build the future faster, but until its people can walk the streets without fear and claim their own voice, it will remain decades behind in everything that truly matters.