Don't talk just about Azhar, NSG, take care of our concerns: China to India
New Delhi: India needs to "take care" of Beijing's concerns, including those on the Dalai Lama and the South China Sea (SCS), a senior Chinese official said today, maintaining that India only talks about its concerns over Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) head Masood Azhar and the NSG.
Asserting that China has no "strategic will" to contain the rise of India, which is an emerging power and an important partner to it, the official said in the next few months, Chinese warships will pay a "goodwill" visit to India.
Asked about the strong reaction by Beijing, which has warned India of consequences over the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last month, the official said China has good ties with the Modi government and it was not expecting that it will "facilitate" the visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader.
He (Dalai Lama) is a guest in India and not an Indian national, the official said, adding he should not be allowed to bad mouth Chinese leadership.
The Dalai Lama is a "sting" in the China-India ties and leaves a "hurt" for China, the official added.
India has always been talking about its concerns -be it Azhar's banning by 1267 UN Sanctions Committee, or entry into the NSG, it also "needs to take care of Chinese concerns over" Tibet, Taiwan and the SCS, the official said.
If India cannot side with China on the SCS, least it can do is to be neutral, the official said while referring to statements by India on the disputed region.
Maintaining that China has not changed its position on either India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) or banning of Jaish-e-Mohammed head and Pathankot terror strike mastermind Azhar by the UN as a global terrorist, the official said the two sides are in consultation.
On the NSG, the Chinese Director General of Department of Arms Control is in consultation with his Indian counterparts to discuss the issue and the two-step formula, the official said, adding on Azhar, it was talking to both India and Pakistan.
Beijing scuttled India's efforts to get into NSG in the plenary last year on the ground that it was not a signatory to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
China blocked India's proposal at the UN to get Azhar designated as global terrorist last year. It also rejected a fresh US proposal for the same early this year.
However, the official maintained that the NSG and Masood Azhar issues should not "overshadow" the bilateral ties that are witnessing cooperation on various sectors, including counter-terrorism and on economic front.
"Chinese warships will visit India soon...in next few months on a goodwill visit," the official added.
