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This is an archive article published on October 21, 2017

China daily slams US-India relations, says ties more ‘symbolic’ than substantial

The article came after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivered a speech earlier on Wednesday on "Defining Our Relationship with India for the Next Century", ahead of his visit to New Delhi.

Donald Trump, PM Modi, india us, india us relations, bilateral ties, india us stratergic talk,modi government, terrorism, bilateral defence ties, indian express news, india news File photo of US President Donald Trump shaking hands with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times took a dig at India-US ties and said India would be “naive” to await US to fulfill its “economic, technical, military and political promises”. In an editorial titled “US-India rapport more symbolic than substantial”, the state-run daily argued that China is not against India and US extending their bilateral ties but it will not tolerate any move that is intended to work against the country. “Beijing is never against the US and India upgrading their relationship, but opposes any move that targets China,” the op-ed said.

The article came after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivered a speech earlier on Wednesday on “Defining Our Relationship with India for the Next Century”, ahead of his visit to New Delhi, in which he asked the two nations to come together to work towards their mutual vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. In his speech, Tillerson slammed China for its alleged “provocative actions in the South China Sea”.

Read | Ahead of Rex Tillerson’s Oct 24 visit, Delhi underlines his Indo-Pacific push

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Questioning US’ intentions behind extending hands to India, the article said, “In Washington’s new South Asia policy as sketched out by Tillerson, the US intention of turning New Delhi into a stronghold to counterbalance Beijing could not be more obvious,” the article said. The article further added that US makes for an ideal target ally for India due to the rising tensions between India and China. “The rise of India, on the other hand, is not at all disconcerting. Since New Delhi is also stressful about its increasing gap with China, it makes an ideal target for Uncle Sam to unite against Beijing,” the article said.

Read | Ahead of first South Asia visit, Rex Tillerson aims for stronger defence ties with India amid China’s rise

The article also said US can’t unilaterally realise India’s bid for permanent UNSC membership. “For instance, India’s bid for permanent UN Security Council membership cannot be unilaterally realized by the US,” it said. It further added that US will not allow India to grow strong enough in Asia. “Washington will never allow any major country to grow strong enough to develop into the only unmatched power in any region, not China in East Asia and certainly not India in South Asia,” the article said.

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