China says it is no threat to India

Beijing, March 31 (IANS) China declared Tuesday that it desired mutually beneficial cooperation with India and it posed no threat to New Delhi.

'The leaders of China and India have already reached consensus that the two countries will not pose a threat to each other,' Xinhua quoted foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang as telling reporters here.

India and China were 'partners of mutually beneficial cooperation', the spokesman said.

Qin was reacting to an Indian report of March 26 that said the Indian military had taken China as an imaginary enemy during military exercises.

The report said that a war between China and India was likely within 10 years and that China would probably provoke the war. 'We feel surprised at the report,' said the spokesman.

He said China was willing to work with India to push forward the long-term, steady and sound development of bilateral ties.