‘India blocking China’s entry into SAARC to retain supremacy’

BEIJING: Riled by India’s opposition to expanding SAARC, a Chinese think-tank on Tuesday accused the country of attempting to retain its supremacy in the South Asian bloc, saying it is “afraid” that an anti-India group will take shape if China joins the eight-member grouping.

In an article titled ‘South Asia forum delayed by India’s self interests’, published in the state-run Global Times Tuesday, Liu Zongyi, a scholar at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies launched a scathing criticism against India, accusing it of attempting to retain its supremacy in the region.

“Generally speaking, New Delhi has not entirely changed its behavioural patterns toward neighbours despite its occasional petty favours to them.

“India aims at consolidating its supremacy in South Asia and including the whole region in its sphere of influence, instead of realising common development and prosperity,” the article said.

Observers say the article with phrases like India an “economically underdeveloped” country, displaying “great power chauvinism and selfishness” were rare in the state-run media especially by the official think-tanks in recent years ever since the relations improved between the two countries, showing China’s frustration on not becoming the member of SAARC.