China won’t back India’s NSG bid without ‘2step approach’

BEIJING: China indicated on Monday it will not support India’s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the bloc’s plenary meeting in June unless a universal formula is evolved for applications from countries that have not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The inclusion of non-NPT countries, such as India and Pakistan, should follow a two-step approach — evolving a universal formula for all such nations and then taking up each country‘s application, China said. It had first proposed the formula in September last year.

Beijing’s stand ahead of the meeting at Bern in Switzerland indicates its opposition to India’s application will continue to impact bilateral ties.

“China’s position on the nonNPT members’ participation in the NSG has not changed,” foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a news briefing.

“We support the NSG group following the mandate of the 2016 Seoul plenary session and building consensus as well as (an) intergovernmental process (that) is open and transparent to deal with the relevant issue in a two-step approach,” she added.

India officially applied for membership of the NSG, which controls trade in nuclear materials, equipment and technology in May last year.

China has reiterated its position on new applicants in the past but detractors say it is pursuing such an approach at the behest of its close ally Pakistan.

In February, foreign secretary S Jaishankar, who was in Beijing for a bilateral strategic dialogue, said China was “open” to India joining the NSG but there were “procedures and processes” to be completed.