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China has no 'ambitions' in south Asia

China Wednesday said it has no 'ambitions' in south Asia and stressed that Beijing's relationship with India and Pakistan were not linked with each other.

"In south Asia, China does not have any ambition or purpose for itself. Our relations with south Asia are based on mostly bilateral relations and interests," Director-General of the Asian Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Fu Ying told reporters in Beijing.

Briefing reporters on Chinese premier Zhu Rongji's maiden official visit to Pakistan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand from May 11, Fu strongly denied that China was engaged in a delicate 'balancing act' in its relations with India and Pakistan.

"I don't know how both India and Pakistan feel separately about China's relations with the other side, but I don't even want to think about it that way," she said.

"We think both countries are important to us, both are very important neighbours," Fu said.

Fu, who heads the very important Asian division of the Chinese foreign ministry said premier Zhu was not covering India, because chairman of the National People's Congress Li Peng visited India in January.

However, she said, "This doesn't mean that there is a pause in our high-level exchanges."

Fu said diplomats from both sides were in touch with each other to finalise a plan for Zhu to visit India separately.

Fu noted that China's relations with India have been growing at a fast pace and there was great interest among Chinese businesses on forging closer ties with India. At the same time, there was also growing interest in India about the Chinese market, she said.

While acknowledging that there were "problems" in Sino-Indian political relations, she noted that the leadership in both countries are ready to "go beyond that."

Fu also commented on Russia's relations with India and forcefully denied that both Moscow and Beijing were "competing" with each other during the Cold War and after the end of the Cold War.

"I don't think we competed with the former Soviet Union in south Asia," she said while acknowledging that China had differences of opinion on some issues like the Afghan war.

"In south Asia, we welcome the efforts of all the countries to have friendly relations with all countries in the world, including the United States, Russia or the European Union," she said.

"We are not opposed to Russia's relations with south Asian countries and I don't think Russia relations with other south Asian countries are targeted at China," Fu said.

Commenting on Russia's strategic partnership with India, Fu said both Moscow and New Delhi have clearly stated that their relations were not aimed at China.

"So we don't perceive these relations as a threat," the senior Chinese official said.

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