China says just hours before FM Wang’s trip to Delhi; seeks support on maritime issue
Beijing: Ahead of Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to India, China’s state-run media yesterday said the door for India’s admission into the NSG is “not tightly” closed and that New Delhi should “fully comprehend” Beijing’s concerns over the disputed South China Sea. Terming that India and China are partners not rivals, a commentary by state-run Xinhua said “as Beijing and New Delhi head into a season of intensive diplomatic encounters that could define the future of their partnership, the two need to work together to keep their disagreements in check.”
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China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar before a meeting in Panaji in Goa. Pic/AFP
“What should be noted above all else is that India has wrongly blamed China for blocking its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG),” it said.
“However, New Delhi should not be downhearted as the door to the NSG is not tightly closed,” it said in a first such reference since the two counties differed on the issue. However, the commentary did not mention whether Wang was carrying any new proposals to assuage India’s disappointment.
The commentary also wanted India to understand it’s concerns over the ongoing maritime dispute. In a communique, it said, “Given that the South China Sea correlates with China’s vital national interests, it is hoped that India would fully comprehend Beijing’s concerns, and play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.”
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