China has once again opposed Indian membership for Nuclear Supplier Group, as China while sticking to its stand said that India’s member into NSG cannot be a farewell gift by the outgoing US President Barak Obama.
Chinese Foreign Minister during a briefing in Beijing said that countries not signing on NTP cannot be entered into NSG.
“Regarding India’s application to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, regarding non-NPT countries admission to the NSG, we have made our position clear before so I will not repeat it,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said here at a media briefing.
Also read: China refuses to support India's NSG bid once again
“I just want to point out that NSG membership shall not be some kind of farewell gift for countries to give to each other,” Hua said, referring to Obama who will be succeeded by Donald J. Trump on Friday.
The US administration, under Obama, has strongly backed India’s membership in the 48-member NSG, which regulates global nuclear trade.
China, a close friend of Pakistan, has opposed India’s entry into the grouping, which has been an irritant in Sino-India ties.
Beijing objects to New Delhi’s inclusion in the bloc, citing India’s non-signatory status to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Read more: Willing to discuss 'possibilities' with India on NSG membership: China
The reaction by China, which has been consistently opposing India’s membership to the elite club, came after US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal described China as an “outlier” in the process of letting India join the nuclear trade bloc.
