Beijing has warned New Delhi to be “cautious” towards American overtures seeking India to play a larger role in the South China Sea dispute, as Washington looks to more assertively challenge Chinese claims in the contested waters.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it hoped “relevant parties… avoid being manipulated by certain countries and ultimately harming their own interests,” in response to a Reuters report claiming the US and India had discussed joint naval patrols, including in the South China Sea.
Indian officials have dismissed the report and underlined India’s standing policy of not carrying out joint patrols with other nations -in any part of the world, let alone the much disputed South China Sea – and if only taking part in international missions under the United Nations flag.
India has so far adopted a measured approach to the South China Sea, most of which is claimed by China and disputed by a number of countries including Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.
While India hasn’t supported any of the claimants, it has stressed the importance of freedom of navigation in the disputed waters. For instance, the Indian Navy has made it a point to frequently sail through the waters to underline India’s interests.
Wang Dehua, Director of the Centre for South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies and a leading strategic expert, told India Today that his view was the US was looking to get India more involved in the dispute.
“I think America wants India to act as its agent,” he said. “If the US can encourage fighting between China and India, it will benefit.”
He added, “It is good that the Indian government denied this report. India should be cautious on involvement in the South China Sea. Both countries should cooperate, not provoke. There has been no problem or difficulty for foreign ships, including Indian ships, for peaceful passage. Of course, actions like America recently tried to provoke in Chinese claimed territory, this is very dangerous.”
India, like many countries in the region, has been alarmed by recent moves by Beijing to bolster its claims by building facilities, including runways, on newly reclaimed islands and reefs.
China maintains that its activities are on its territory and haven’t hindered passage through waters that carry key trade routes.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said, in a statement to Reuters, “no cooperation between any countries should be directed at a third party”, echoing China’s often-stated position on the dispute.
The statement, however, also made a pointed mention of countries “being manipulated by certain countries and ultimately harming their own interests,” in an apparent reference to reports that the US was seeking India to play a greater role.
Beijing has been angered by what the US describes as ‘freedom of navigation operations’ (FONOPs), recently slamming what it said was ‘unprofessional’ conduct after a US destroyer came within 12 nautical miles of a China-controlled island.
