Vehemently opposing India’s NSG bid, Chinese official media in first comments since China’s objection said that New Delhi’s membership will not only touch a “raw nerve” in Pakistan and increase a nuclear arms race but also “jeopardise”Beijing’s national interests.
An op-ed commentary in state-run Global Times titled “India mustn’t let nuclear ambitions blind itself” said New Delhi’s NSG membership will set off a nuclear confrontation in the region.
“India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers in the region, keep alert to each other’s nuclear capabilities. India’s application for NSG membership and its potential consequences will inevitably touch a raw nerve in Pakistan, its traditional rival in the region.
Read more: Indian membership bid: For NSG consensus, China says more talks needed
“As Pakistan is not willing to see an enlarging gap in nuclear power with India, a nuclear race is a likely outcome. This will not only paralyse regional security but also jeopardise China’s national interests,” said the commentary, the first write-up on the issue since Beijing’s opposition to India’s bid.
“The US and some NSG members have given a push to India’s membership bid, but the reported opposition from most countries, especially China, seems to have irritated India,” it said.
“Beijing insists that a prerequisite of New Delhi’s entry is that it must be a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) while India is not. Despite acknowledging this legal and systematic requirement, the Indian media called China’s stance “obstructionist”,” the commentary said.
“The deliberations of the US are also clear. With India’s NSG membership, the US, the world’s largest producer of nuclear power, can sell its nuclear technology to India. A US company is set to build six nuclear reactors in India, an agreement made between the two countries during Modi’s recent visit to the US,” it said.
Beyond cooperation in the nuclear sector, the US views India as a “balancing actor in its pivot to the Asia-Pacific strategy”. Its supply of nuclear technologies to enhance India’s deterrence capability is to put China in check, it said.
“What is missing in US and Indian motives are concerns for regional security. So far, South Asia is still facing the harsh reality that the region is mired in the nuclear confrontation,” it said.
“China insists on peaceful development. A peaceful regional and global environment is in the interests of all stakeholders. China’s concern about India’s inclusion into the NSG comes out of the security dynamic in South Asia.
“Only when New Delhi and Islamabad take another step forward in their nonproliferation commitments can the region avoid being dragged into a nuclear confrontation,” it said.
On Sunday, China had said members of the elite club “remain divided” on the issue of not-NPT countries joining it and insiste
d that there “was no deliberation” on the bid by
India and other nations at the Vienna meeting.
Read more: India’s membership of NSG would be grave threat to regional peace and stability: Siraj
Live and let them live. PAK is born from India. Because of India PAk is existing. World knows what happening. PAK is a copy cat, wants to gain whatever India is gaining and China is supporting this. Best thing to isolate both these countries.
The best thing is not to isolate both but to stop US policy of china containment and stop india from becoming a US bully in region, instead all ctrys must persue their economic progress on rule of live and let others live
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