Pak Claims It Thwarted India’s NSG Bid, China Says It’s No Barrier

The Chinese have said that they are not against India joining the NSG but are advocating treatment for Pakistan.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi with China’s President Xi Jinping. (Photo: Reuters)

In an article, “China no barrier to India joining NSG”, Chinese state-run Global Times on Tuesday came out in defence of Pakistan’s sketchy nuclear record, claiming it was AQ Khan, father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme who was responsible for atomic proliferation, and not the Pakistani government, as it did not back Khan in his endeavours.

The article went on to argue that any exemption to India for NSG entry should also be given to Pakistan.

China and other countries are opposed to the NSG including India while excluding Pakistan, because it means solving India’s problem but creating another bigger problem. If India joins hands with Pakistan to seek NSG membership, it seems more pragmatic than joining alone.

Article Published in <i>Global Times</i>

China then said it was not against India’s entry into the NSG and the “door is open” for discussions over admitting non-NPT countries in the elite grouping.

The statement comes a day after it said the NSG was divided over admitting India and the issue would not figure in the agenda of the NSG plenary in Seoul this week.

Pakistan claimed it has been successful in thwarting India’s NSG bid.

We have been making successful efforts against India’s Nuclear Suppliers Group membership.

Sartaj Aziz

Beijing maintained that it was the US which laid down the rules of non-signatory countries of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty not being allowed membership of the bloc.

The door is still open. There is always room for discussion. We never said we are against any country. We did not target any country, India or Pakistan.

Hua Chunying, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson

The Chinese spokesperson’s statement on Tuesday is at variance with her remarks a day ago, when she said that NSG members were still divided over admitting India and it was not right to talk about the issue now.

The NSG remains divided over non-NPT countries like India becoming members. Earlier on Sunday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had expressed the hope that “India would be able to convince China to support our entry to the NSG.”

(With agency inputs)