A screenshot claiming that Lijian Zhao, former spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry, tweeted a warning that China will block the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers flowing into India if the Indus Waters Treaty is not restoredis being widely circulated on social media.
Sharing the screenshot on X, propagandist and misinformation-spreading account @DrDanish5 claimed, “China warns India over Indus Waters Treaty – threatens to block Brahmaputra and Sutlej.
“Lijian Zhao, former spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry, tweeted: ‘China will block the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers flowing into India if it does not restore the Indus Waters Treaty.’” @zlj517 @narendramodi @XHNews @CMShehbaz @OfficialDGISPR ! pic.twitter.com/koEhe8XdXa
— Dr. Danish (official) (@DrDanish5) April 23, 2025
The Reality Behind The Screenshot about Indus Waters Treaty
As soon as we observed the widely spread statement, D-Intent Data looked into the facts. After verifying Lijian Zhao’s official X page, we noticed he hasn’t tweeted since August 2024.
We closely studied the alleged screenshot and uncovered clear indications of manipulation:
The post has 0 views, which is impossible under X’s current interface, as all posts display view counts.
It uses antiquated terms such as “retweets” and “quote tweets,” which were replaced by “reposts” and “quotes” when the platform was redesigned in 2023.
Therefore, it is evident from D-Intent Data’s investigation that the screenshot is fabricated and the claim is false.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) April 24, 2025
ANALYSIS: Fake
FACT: Pakistan-based propaganda accounts are spreading false claims that Lijian Zhao, the former spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry, tweeted: “China will block the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers flowing into India if it does not restore (1/4) pic.twitter.com/hzxx2XfaXF
Intent:
Propagandists are fabricating posts and screenshots to propagate a false narrative of China’s involvement in response to India’s actions against Pakistan. The goal appears to be to create fear, confusion, and diplomatic deception.
Conclusion
Claim: Lijian Zhao, China’s former Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, warned that if the Indus Waters Treaty is not reinstated, the country will restrict rivers into India.
Fact: The tweet is fabricated. Zhao hasn’t shared anything since August 2024, and there are other indications of tampering in the widely shared screenshot.
Related Article: Fact Check: Fake video of man posing as Indian Army Colonel spread with false claims – D-Intent Data
