China accuses US of making factually incorrect comments on India’s NSG bid

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Delhi: China accused the US on Thursday of meddling in its affairs in the South China Sea and making factually incorrect comments on India’s bid to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), as per a media report.

As per reports, China also expressed strong displeasure at an American diplomat’s remarks on the two issues in New Delhi.

Beijing said that the remarks by US under secretary of state for political affairs Thomas Shannon was 'irresponsible''

It added that America should stop trying to drive 'wedges' between countries. 

China's assertion came in response to the remarks by US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Tom Shannon yesterday that India failed to get entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) due to China-led opposition.

Shannon had said one country can break consensus in the 48-nation atomic trading bloc and insisted that such member should be held accountable.

"With regard to the US officials comments on the NSG we want to point out that this official shows no regard to facts," Chinese Foreign Ministry official Hong Lei told a media briefing, as per PTI.

"In the plenary meeting in Seoul India' accession was not on the agenda of the meeting. It did not discuss the accession of any specific country into the group," Hong said.

"The news release of the plenary meeting said meeting discussed the technical, legal and political questions concerning the accession of relevant countries," he said.

On Shannon's comment that China's motives in the South China Sea (SCS) was intended towards Indian Ocean, Hong said "we are strongly dissatisfied with that" remark.

Shannon had said, "What China is doing in the South China Sea is madness."

On the NSG issue, Shannon had said that the one country which blocked India from entering the club of nations controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology should be held “accountable”. 

“We understand that in a consensus-based organisation, one country can break consensus. But in order to do so, it must be (held) accountable, not isolated,” Shannon was quoted as having told a meeting at the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi. 

(With PTI inputs)