India’s Cooperation With Japan Irks China

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh's latest visit to Japan has irked the Chinese government, according to the China Daily.

Chinese state-run newspaper China Daily on Thursday warned that strategic cooperation with Japan "can only bring trouble to India," and added that India should extend ties with the island nation "at its own peril."

The Indian prime minister made a three-day visit to Japan where he met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

The two leaders have signed several bilateral agreements this week.

"In the political and security area, maritime security cooperation will further be strengthened ... On civil nuclear cooperation, negotiation will be accelerated toward the early conclusion of the agreement," declared the two leaders.

Beijing is concerned about the growing cooperation between the two Asian powers because of the land border dispute with India and a sea territorial dispute with Japan.

"India's efforts to develop its relationship with Japan are part of its 'Look East' policy, which has undergone great changes in recent years. In addition to Southeast Asia, the targeted region of the policy has expanded to East Asia and Northeast Asia," writes Liu Zongyi, a visiting professor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a research fellow at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies in an article.

"East Asian countries that were the victims of the World War II won't indulge Japan. Overheated strategic cooperation with the Abe administration can only bring trouble to India and threaten its relationships with the relevant East Asian countries," said Zongyi in the article.

During Singh's visit to Japan, the two leaders committed to freedom of navigation and signed to promote cooperation on maritime issues as well.

Japan even agreed to extend up to $694m in official development assistance for a subway project in the Indian financial capital city Mumbai.