China on Friday said that mutual cooperation between India and Japan should not target or cause any harm to any third party. This statement from Beijing comes a day after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Delhi, in which several important initiatives were announced to strengthen the supply chain.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said these things while replying to a question asked about the cooperation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Takaichi on critical minerals and strengthening the supply chain.
“Cooperation between countries should be such that it enhances understanding and trust among regional countries and maintains peace and stability in the region,” Guo said at a media briefing in Beijing.
He further said that such collaboration should not target any third party nor harm the interests of any third party. At the same time, it should not be used to create specific factions or create division and conflict. Guo said that it is the responsibility of all countries to keep the global industrial and supply chain safe and stable.
After the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Takaichi on Thursday, India and Japan announced several initiatives. These include an economic partnership framework, a defense pact to jointly manufacture military hardware and steps to increase energy cooperation to deal with sudden fluctuations in oil prices.
Both Prime Ministers also expressed serious concern over the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea. They reiterated their strong opposition to any unilateral action that jeopardizes the security, as well as freedom of navigation and overflight, or seeks to change the existing situation through force or coercion. He expressed his grave concern over the increasing militarization of disputed areas and reiterated that maritime disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international laws such as UNCLOS.