US biased, always tries to create pawns: Jittery China on growing New Delhi-Washington ties

Despite a series of problems with most of its neighbours, China says it is Asian solidarity - and not biased views of the United States - that is the way forward.

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New Delhi: Growing Indo-US ties may well be making Beijing slightly jittery. With US secretary of state Rex Tillerson appreciating India's efforts for a global rule-based order and accused China of "at times" undermining the same order, China has been harping on Asian solidarity to counter Western 'agenda'.

Tillerson, who will visit India next week, said recently at a the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington that China acted outside international conventions - citing the South China Sea dispute as an example. US President Donald Trump's top diplomat also emphasised on the growing partnership with India and said the leaders of the two counties are committed to building a lasting friendship. In return, MEA appreciated Tillerson's comments. "We appreciate his positive evaluation of the relationship and share his optimism about its future directions," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The growing bond between India and US though has left China feeling the heat. On Thursday, Beijing hit back and accused US of being biased. "We hope the US side can look at China`s development and role in the international community in an objective way, and abandon its biased views of China," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

On Saturday, an article in the state-run Global Times went a step further and described Indo-US ties as 'more symbolic than substantial.' Harping on China's efforts to develop the region into an economic hub courtesy its controversial Belt and Road initiative, the report said Washington has a habit of creating pawns. "Beijing is never against the US and India upgrading their relationship, but opposes any move that targets China. That only escalates tensions in the region and exposes the White House's calculated ruse to make as many nations as possible into pawns."

Interestingly, it is China that may be making pawns in international circles with its growing proximity to Pakistan. Security and defence experts mostly agree that Beijing sees Islamabad as a strong counterweight to India's rise. It is also China that has repeatedly attempted to throw a blanket on terrorism emanating from within Pakistan - going to the extent of advising India to not focus on Pakistani terrorism. It has also repeatedly blocked India's bid to get UN to deem Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

Apart from its rather suspect outlook towards South Asia, China's neighbourly relations elsewhere too are rather fragile. The South China Sea dispute with a number of countries has shown Beijing's high-handed approach while its reluctance to pull in North Korea - a volatile nuclear state - has been questioned as well.

Under these circumstances, India's move to build closer ties with US, conduct military drills with Russia, increase bilateral trade with Japan etc are mostly always seen in China as India's bid to counter it rather than a country's bold move on the path of development, prosperity and ensuring its security and sovereignty.