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ABD’s India partnership plan 'interfering'

By Zhang Xin (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-06-18 18:29

China strongly objects to a document of the Asian Development Bank that includes a territorial dispute the country has with India, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said today.

"China shows its strong dissatisfaction ... that the ADB Board of Directors dismissed its concerns and passed the Country Partnership Strategy for India 2009-2012, the content of which has included a territorial dispute between China and India," ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a regular briefing today.

Qin said the ADB's inclusion of the dispute in the document will not change China's stand toward the issue.

He pointed out that the ADB, as the regional development organization, should not interfere in the political affairs of any member.

"The ADB’s document has seriously impaired its reputation and hurt the interest of its member," Qin said. He also urged the bank to take active measures to eliminate the negative effects created in its latest move.

Qin said that China, as an ADB member, has supported the role played by the bank in helping developing countries with prompt development. China will also continue to work with other members to take the regional economic and social development to the next level, he said.

Similarly, Qin said China has a consistent stand over the issue and the only way to solve the border dispute is through bilateral dialogue and consultation, to find a fair and reasonable solution for both sides.

In March, the ADB postponed a discussion on the Country Partnership Strategy for India 2009-2012 at the request of China, as the document includes a $60 million watershed development project in the disputed territory between China and India.