BEIJING: Chinese Daily says India must not “exaggerate” concerns on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor or “overly interpret” China’s military development.
An article published in Global Times said India is worried that China was intentionally interfering in India-Pakistan disputes and “utilising the CPEC to grant legitimacy to Islamabad control over the disputed region.” “India is viewing Beijing and Islamabad as potential threats and is suspicious of Beijing’s One Belt and One Road initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),” it said, adding that “India is exaggerating the situation”.
The article further said China advocates peaceful development and it “has and will never seek hegemony in the region.” China’s defence budget will rise by about seven percent this year, the lowest since 2010 and Beijing’s military development is “part of its national construction, and New Delhi should not overly interpret it,” it said.
The official media again urged India to join the ambition Chinese project to link China with Eurasia through the Belt and Road (B&R) initiative amid concern here about New Delhi’s apparent silence over participation in this week’s B&R summit. At least 28 heads of state and government, including the prime ministers of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, have confirmed their participation in the summit Beijing is projecting as a global acceptance of the initiative.
The article said “instead of being overly concerned about China’s rise, New Delhi should consider taking an early role in B&R initiative. China’s infrastructural initiative will not only bring economic benefits but also fulfil India’s ambition to be an influential economic power in the region.” It urged India to abandon its “suspicions” and adopt a pragmatic attitude towards China’s and Pakistan’s development. The B&R initiative includes a maze of road, rail and port projects in a number of countries to connect mainland China to markets in Asia and Europe, while the CPEC is highlighted as the “flagship project” of the initiative.
