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Chinese web users voice concern over US-India defense pact

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-26 12:03

BEIJING: The new US-India defense pact inked by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Indian Minister of External Affairs S. M. Krishna on July 20 has made many Chinese web users concerned as they believe the agreement will likely to pose potential threats to China in the future.

This agreement allows the US to sell sophisticated military technology to India and conduct "end-use monitoring."

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According to an anonymous poll on huanqiu.com, 92.5 percent of 3,111 web users by 10 pm on July 23 agreed to the question, "Do you think that US-India military defense cooperation will threaten China?"

China and India are considered two emerging powers with the largest populations in the world.

"To support India can be partially regarded as a strategy to counter China," comments an Internet user. "Besides, China has a stake in Indian Ocean."

Another said, "If the US does not want to contain China, why bother coming all the way from another hemisphere?"

An anonymous web user compared the US-India military cooperation to an act of isolating China, saying, "The US has been cooperating with China's neighboring countries for fear that its hegemonic position will be surpassed by China some day. With Japan and other alliances, the US will stand firm on Asian-Pacific region. India is the best choice, for there is no huge development gap between China and India. A US-backed India will surely menace China. "

However, 7.5 percent of online voters who believe this cooperation won't be a threat.

"A country does not have permanent friends, only permanent interests," a voter quoted the classic statement from former British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston. "The US will never sell its most advanced weapon to India. But China needs to be on high alert." Another voter said developing ties is the most important thing for China. "Any cooperation between the countries and organizations is positive and we should not look at the international issues with prejudice."