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China says it backs India's nuclear ambitions

By Neelesh Misra

China said it supported India’s nuclear plans and hoped for a middle ground at crucial ongoing talks in Vienna, as Indian officials elbowed their way towards getting the freedom to buy nuclear fuel from across the world.

The exclusive comments from Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue were sent to the Hindustan Times on the same evening when reports from Vienna said China had tried to stonewall a quick waiver for India at discussions of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

“Both China and India are major developing countries in rapid economic development. The two countries need secure, reliable and clean energy,” Hu, 55, said in a written interview. “Therefore, China understands India’s needs for civil nuclear energy and related international cooperation.”

The comments were made ahead of the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to India beginning Monday.

India says it needs Uranium imports to fuel its booming economy, one of the fastest growing in the world. It has also refused to sign the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, calling it discriminatory.

So if it wants to get Uranium without signing the treaty, India must get a waiver from the 45-country NSG, which regulates international trade in nuclear fuel.

Asked whether China supported such a waiver for India, Hu said: “Relevant issues are being addressed in the NSG. China hopes that NSG will find an appropriate solution that strikes a balance between nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

A Chinese official separately told HT that despite the reports from Vienna, “our position has not changed from the text of the (HT) interview.”

The razor-edge NSG meetings, which could still go either way, are the final lap of a long journey that India has pursued for more than two years.

India’s journey began with an unprecedented agreement in March 2006 that led to the United States changing its laws especially for India to allow Washington to sell Uranium to India going only by its word and past good conduct on nuclear affairs.

The battle then went to the International Atomic Energy Agency, and now is being fought at Vienna.

“China believes all countries have the rights to peaceful use of nuclear energy and conducting related international cooperation based on the precondition of honouring international nuclear non-proliferation obligations,” Hu said.

He also commented on several other issues related to India-China relations. Here are some excerpts from the interview, the full text of which can be read at HindustanTimes.com

Relations strongest ever

“In the first half of 2008, the two-way trade reached US$29 billion, up by 68.7 per cent over the corresponding period of last year. It is the fastest growth rate among China’s top 10 trading partners.

“India must relax restrictions:

“The total trade volume at the Nathu La border trade market was only over RMB4 million (Rs. 2.4 crores) in 2007.

“China … hopes that India will further relax and eventually eliminate restrictions on commodities for border trade, which will help fully mobilize the enthusiasm of the businesses of the two sides.”

Dalai Lama:

“This year, India adopted measures to ensure the safety of torch relay of Beijing Olympic Games in New Delhi, and check anti-China activities by activists for ‘Tibet independence’ on more than one occasion. China appreciates this. We hope India will continue to abide by its commitments on Tibet-related issues.”

Alleged Chinese incursions:

“(The) China-India boundary has never been formally delimited … Pending an ultimate solution, China stands ready to work with India to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. The two countries signed (agreements on this in 1993 and 1996) … China is serious about these two agreements.”

Border dispute:

“There are still some outstanding issues left by history between the two sides … It is necessary to proceed from the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples and find a fair and equitable solution acceptable to both. It is fair to say that positive progress has been made in negotiations on the related issues.”

Copyright © 2008 Hindustan Times

Published in Hindustan Times