Work for partnership, don’t form alliance: China tells India, Japan

Beijing, September 14

China said on Thursday that India and Japan should work for partnership rather than forming an alliance, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe prepared to discuss bilateral defence and security ties.

Beijing also hoped that the India-Japan relations would be conducive for regional peace and stability.

Abe is on a two-day official visit to India. Both countries are also expected to discuss their joint role in the India-Pacific region where China is increasingly becoming assertive.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was waiting for the outcome of the meeting between the two leaders in Ahmedabad.

“What is in their discussion, we should wait for the detailed readout. We advocate that regional countries should stand for dialogue without confrontation and work for a partnership instead of an alliance,” Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

“We also stay open and welcome the normal development of relations between the countries in the region. We also hope that their relations will be conducive to regional peace and stability and can play a constructive role in this regard,” Hu said.

The growing ties between India and Japan worry Beijing, which sees the partnership as a design to counter it. IANS