Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe after visiting Toji Temple in Kyoto on Sunday. (PTI Photo) Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe after visiting Toji Temple in Kyoto on Sunday. (PTI Photo)

China Monday reacted guardedly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks of “expansionist” tendency among some countries, saying it is not clear what was he referring to and recalled his earlier comments that India and China are strategic partners.

“We have noted relevant information about Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Japan. You just mentioned comments made by him I don’t know what is he referring to,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a media briefing here when asked about Modi’s remarks made during his ongoing visit to Japan.

“But I can answer the question by quoting his (Modi’s) words. He said China and India are strategic partners for common development. Good neighbourliness and cooperation between the two counties is of great significance to the prosperity of the whole world and all mankind,” Qin recalled Prime Minister Modi’s comments made on an earlier occasion.

Modi today deplored the “expansionist” tendency among some countries which “encroach” upon seas of others.

“We have to decide if we want to have ‘vikas vaad’ (development) or ‘vistar vaad’ (expansionism) which leads to disintegration. Those who follow the path of Buddha and have faith on ‘vikas vaad’, they develop. But we see, those having ideas of the 18th century, engage in encroachments and enter seas (of others),” Modi said.

The Prime Minister did not name any country but the comments may be seen as targeting China which is engaged in territorial disputes with a number of its neighbours, including India, Japan and some others including Vietnam.

Asked how China sees Modi’s visit to Japan ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposed visit New Delhi expected to be in the third week of this month, Qin said “I want to stress that China and India are major countries. We both advocate and practice the five principles of peaceful coexistence.”

“With regard to Xi’s visit to India, during BRICS summit, President Xi had a good meeting with Prime Minister Modi,” he said, adding that the two leaders agreed that Xi should visit India in the neat future.

“The two sides are in close communication on the relevant issue,” he said.

In February this year, Modi had accused China of having an expansionist mindset, a charge refuted by Beijing.

During a poll rally in Arunachal Pradesh, Modi had said, “China should shed its expansionist policy and forge bilateral ties with India for peace, progress and prosperity of both the nations.”

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