China envious of growing Indo-Japan ties: expert

Japan emperor to visit India between Nov-Dec

Chennai:

India should be prepared for more border intrusion as China has a no-compromise policy over territorial issues and is eying India suspiciously as it strengthens its ties with Japan, an expert warned.

Speaking during an event organized by the Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss Dr Manmohan Singh - Shinzo Abe Summit 2013, D S Rajan, director of Chennai Centre for China Studies said that China is suspicious over Indian ties with Japan while pinpointing to the comments emanating from the state-controlled dailies.

“The fears of China over Indo-Japan collaboration has to be taken on a serious note. Chinese feel that India is sympathetic to Japan over the row over Senkaku Island,” said Rajan.

Rajan said that People’s Daily, a state controlled media has even gone to the extent of stating that Japan is creation dissension between India and China by making use of their difference over the border issue.

He said that the Japanese sale of their US-2 amphibious aircraft has further fueled China’s suspicion as it views it as military alliance against China. “If India wants to go closer to Japan, it will be on its own peril,” a state media had warned said the former Indian diplomat.

He also said that the media also attacked Japan for encircling China. He said that the issue with China is that the official statement welcomed the visit while the state media, which is the mouthpiece of the government, criticized it.

Dr Sridhar Krishnaswami, the head of the School of Media Studies at SRM University, stressed the need for Japan to look beyond economic ties and forge a stronger defence ties with India.

Masanori Nakano, Consul General of Japan, highlighted the close personal ties between Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and Japanese Prime Minister Sinzo Abe. He also highlighted various projects undertaken in the state while thanking the state government for setting June 30, 2014 deadline to finish Ennore Port connectivity road. He also said that the Japan emperor Akhito and the empress are visiting India between November and December.