China says willing to work with India for peace in South Asia

China today underlined its role in South Asia, saying that as an "important member" of Asia it is willing to work with India for peace and stability in the sub-continent.

Seeking to downplay the purported remarks of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Beijing "would like to have a foothold in South Asia," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said China is committed to safeguarding peace and stability of Asia, including South Asia.

"I would like to say that China is one of the important members of Asia and we are committed to safeguarding peace and stability of Asia, including South Asia, with othe countries to seek common development and this is in the common interest of all of us," she told a media briefing here. 

Her remarks came in response to a question on Singh's purported remarks in New Delhi yesterday. 

Jiang also said China and India as emerging powers could work together for the common development of both the countries.

"China and India as neighbours and newly emerging powers, good neighbourliness and friendship in pursuit of common development serve the common interests of both the parties,"
she said.

"We are willing to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous South Asia and we are willing to work on the basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence to work along with South Asian countries, including India, to develop good neighbourliness and cooperation," she said.

Jiang also described as "groundless and out of ulterior motives" reports of presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. 

To a question on Indian Ambassador S Jaishankar's meeting with Chinese vice foreign minister Zhang Zhijun here last week during which India conveyed its concerns over the reported presence of Chinese troops in PoK, Jiang said "such remarks about China's stationary troops in northern Pakistan are completely groundless and out of ulterior motives".

She said China has provided humanitarian assistance to flood-hit places in those areas at the request of Pakistan. 

"Recently at the request of Pakistan side China has provided humanitarian assistance materials such as life necessities to the residents in the flood-hit areas because earlier this year the Karakoram highway (connecting China and Pakistan) was blocked due to landslides cutting off the links between residents of northern Pakistan and the other areas. So at the request of Pakistan side China has provided humanitarian assistance," Jiang said.

Significantly, a gradual shift is also being witnessed in China's position on Gilgit-Baltistan areas of PoK, with the foreign ministry spokesperson, in her last two media briefings, terming these areas as "Northern Pakistan".

Meanwhile, China has increased its humanitarian assistance to flood-hit Pakistan to 320 million yuan ($36.6 million). Earlier, it had provided 120 million yuan ($17 million) and sent a relief team to the flood-affected areas.

China yesterday announced that it would give an additional 200 million yuan ($29.4 million) to Pakistan.