Flustered with India’s missile program and successful test-firing of the Agni-IV inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), China has conveyed through its media that “India needs to cool its missile fever” and that continuing to ramp up its long-range missiles will help its “all-weather ally” Pakistan to do the same.
“If the UN Security Council has no objection over this (ICBMs), let it be. The range of Pakistan's nuclear missiles will also see an increase,” Global Times, the mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party, said in its editorial, hinting that it was China that would help Pakistan come at par with India.
China often uses its media to convey its opinions or to deliver rebukes it can’t through diplomatic channels.
The editorial further batted in favour of Pakistan saying it should be accorded the same nuclear priviliges as India.
“If the Western countries accept India as a nuclear country and are indifferent to the nuclear race between India and Pakistan, China will not stand out and stick rigidly to those nuclear rules as necessary. At this time, Pakistan should have those privileges in nuclear development that India has,” the editorial said.
The words used for India in the editorial clearly show China is rattled with India successfully test-firing Agni-IV that has a range of 4,000 km and the Agni-V with a range of over 5,000 km. All have China in range.
However, the editorial said that “China should realize that Beijing wouldn't hold back India's development of long-range ballistic missiles”.
On the other hand, the write-up said that China isn’t bothered by India’s testing of missiles that can carry nuclear warheads, stating that “India wouldn't be considered as China's main rival in the long run”.
The editorial further alleged that India “has broken the UN’s limits” on how man nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles it can produce.
“The US and some Western countries have also bent the rules on its nuclear plans. New Delhi is no longer satisfied with its nuclear capability and is seeking intercontinental ballistic missiles that can target anywhere in the world and then it can land on an equal footing with the UN Security Council's five permanent members,” the editorial said.
On Monday, India successfully tested - for the final time - its long-range ballistic missile, Agni-IV, which can travel 4,000 kilometres. No long before that, it successfully test-fired Agni-V that has a range of more than 5,000 kilometres and can reach Europe and the northernmost parts of China.
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