11/14/2016

ChinacautiouslybacksIndiaJapannucleardealTimesofIndia

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China cautiously backs India-Japan nuclear deal

PTI | Nov 14, 2016, 05.34 PM IST

BEIJING: China on Monday cautiously backed India-Japan nuclear deal

signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Tokyo visit, saying all
countries are entitled for peaceful use of nuclear energy if they meet the
international non-proliferation obligations.
Beijing also reacted mildly to the references to South China Sea in the
India-Japan joint statement, reiterating its earlier stand that countries
outside the region should respect efforts made by China and other
contestants to resolve the dispute.
"With regard to nuclear agreement signed between India and Japan and
on the use nuclear energy, we believe that under the promise of absorbing
international obligation of nuclear non-proliferation, all countries are entitled to the peaceful use of nuclear energy," Chinese
foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media brieng here.
"At the same time, the relevant cooperation should be conducive to safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the
international nuclear non-proliferation regime," he said.
Contrary to the write-ups in the ofcial media here prior to the recent signing of the civil nuclear deal, Geng made no reference
to the media criticism of Japan selling its nuclear technology shedding its past objections.
Japan has traditionally adopted a tough stand on proliferation issues having been the only victim of atomic bombings at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
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11/14/2016

ChinacautiouslybacksIndiaJapannucleardealTimesofIndia

India is the rst country which has not signed nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) with which Japan has signed the civil
nuclear agreement.
China opposes India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), citing India's refusal to sign NPT.
An article in the state-run Global Times earlier criticised Japan for relaxing its rules to sign civil nuclear deal for India and said
that selling nuclear technology to New Delhi will "taint Tokyo's reputation of advocating for a nuclear weapons-free world".

About the reference to the South China Sea in the joint statement issued at the end of Modi's visit, Geng said "under the
concerted efforts of the countries in the region including China, the situation in the South China Sea is developing in a positive
direction".
"We have been repeating that we should come back to the right track of peacefully resolving the relevant dispute through
negotiations and consultations.

"We hope that the countries outside the region would respect efforts made by countries in the region and safeguard as well as
consolidate the sound momentum in the South China Sea and and do more that is conducive to regional peace and stability,"
he said in a cautious response.

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