Tie-up with Pak. normal, says China

BEIJING, JUNE 3. China has reacted sharply to India's charge of a Chinese military build-up and termed as ``irresponsible'' New Delhi's objection to the ``normal'' military cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad.

Asked to comment on the annual Defence Ministry report for 2000- 2001 released last Thursday, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mr. Zhu Bangzao, offered a three-part answer.

``Attempting to seek an excuse to develop the military is not wise. Secondly, the Chinese stand on the Indian nuclear issue is known to all,'' Mr. Zhu said referring to India's May 1998 nuclear tests. Moreover, the China-Pakistan military cooperation was ``normal'', he added.

``For no reason finding fault is irresponsible,'' the spokesman said referring to repeated statements from the Chinese leadership that Sino-Pakistani military cooperation did not violate Beijing's commitments to the international community. The MoD annual report had pointed out that China was working towards the goal of achieving ``superpower'' status in the new millennium and rapidly modernising its armed forces.

``Every major Indian city is within reach of Chinese missiles and it is reported that this capability is being further augmented to include submarine-launched ballistic missiles,'' the report said. ``The asymmetry in terms of nuclear forces is strongly in favour of China which additionally has helped Pakistan to build missile and nuclear capability.'

On the Defence Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh's statement that the Indian Government had approved the development of ``longer range'' missiles under the Agni project and that the 2,000 km- range Agni-II missile was operational and planned for induction during 2001-2002, the spokesman said China was paying ``close attention'' to India's decision.

- PTI

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