China 'politics' jab at India on Masood

Narendra Modi (left) and Xi Jinping

TT, New Delhi, Oct. 10: China has accused India of seeking "political gains" by demanding the blacklisting of Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Masood Azhar by the UN, hitting back at criticism from New Delhi over differences on the demand days before President Xi Jinping lands in this country.

The comments, made by China's vice-foreign minister Li Baodong in Beijing, represent the country's strongest criticism of India over a spat that has contributed to a widening gulf between them, despite mutual proforma statements signalling a willingness to work together.

They come days after China put on technical hold for the second time in six months India's demand that Azhar be added to the UN list of banned terrorists - which already includes the Jaish, the organisation he heads.

National security adviser Ajit Doval had, following that Chinese move, summoned the country's new ambassador here Luo Zhaohui to articulate Indian concerns. Doval iterated India's argument that China must not distinguish between terrorists.

Xi will land in Goa on October 15 for the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) summit. He is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the margins of the summit - where the Indian leader is expected to articulate New Delhi's disappointment with Beijing for using its permanent seat on the UN Security Council to continue to block Azhar's proscription.

"There should be no double standards on counter-terrorism," Li said. "Nor should one pursue own political gains in the name of counter-terrorism."

Li's statement and his reference to "political gains" almost mirror comments India's foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup made last week after China's move at the UN.

Swarup was asked about initiatives other, non-permanent UN Security Council members were suggesting to strengthen the committee that considers demands to proscribe terrorists, including by providing the chair of the panel discretionary powers.

"Look, as far as the first part of your question is concerned, we would welcome any move which enables the 1267 committee to function in a manner in which political considerations do not hold hostage designation of known terrorists," Swarup said, referring to the number of the UN resolution under which the panel was set up.

"In the present case, it is our understanding that 14 countries are on one side and one country was on the other side."

India has already made clear that it will not raise the dispute over Azhar's proscription at the multilateral BRICS summit - because it is a bilateral spat. Nor will India try and corner China over its objections to New Delhi's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Amar Sinha, secretary (economic relations) in the foreign ministry, suggested last week.

But both disputes are likely to figure prominently in Modi's bilateral talks with Xi, Indian officials said.

On Monday, China made clear it had no intention of diluting its opposition to India's NSG membership either.

Li said new NSG members needed to be agreed upon by all existing members. "These rules (for entry into the NSG) are not to be decided by China alone," Li said. "On the issue, China and India have maintained good communication and we are ready to continue consultations with India to build consensus."

The NSG, a 48-nation club that governs global nuclear trade, had last June held back a decision on admitting India under pressure from China. At the time, a senior Chinese foreign ministry official had indicated Beijing was not willing to let the NSG bend its membership rules for India. "Applicant countries must be signatories to the NPT," the official had said, referring to the non proliferation treaty that India refuses to sign.