China today called for a stronger global response to curb cross-border movement of foreign terrorists, days after it had opposed India's move to impose a UN ban on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar.
Speaking at a meeting on counter-terrorism in New York, Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said frequent cross-border flow of foreign terrorist fighters has caused ever greater harm to international security and stability, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The report defined foreign terrorist fighters as individuals who travel to a state other than their states of residence or nationality for the purpose of participating in terrorist acts.
"The UN and the relevant international agencies should set up counter-terrorism data bases as soon as possible and share intelligence so as to create conditions for effectively curbing the cross-border movement of foreign terrorist fighters," he said.
Wu's speech against the cross-border movement of foreign fighters followed Beijing extending the "technical hold" on India's pending petition to ban Azhar for his involvement in the Pathankot terrorist attack.
Announcing the extension of the technical hold on October 1, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said, "China always maintains that on the listing matter, the 1267 Committee should stick to the principles of objectivity, impartiality and professionalism, base its judgments on solid evidence and decide upon consensus among the members of the Security Council".
On March 31 this year, Beijing had blocked India’s move to put a ban on the JeM leader and Pathankot attack mastermind under the Sanctions Committee of the Council.
China's stand against movement for foreign terrorists could raise eyebrows in Pakistan as both Azhar and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed are Pakistanis.
India has been highlighting the cross-border terror threat emanating from Pakistan and tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad are on the rise since last month's Uri attack in Jammu and Kashmir which killed 19 Indian soldiers.
China, a veto-wielding member had put a technical hold on the move to impose a ban on Azhar six months ago in the 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council (UNSC) comprising of 15 members of the council including the five permanent members.
China was the lone country which put the technical hold at the last minute which drew strong criticism from India.
Beijing’s move is expected to highjack the upcoming BRICS summit scheduled in Goa on October 15-16 when India host Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Monday met Chinese envoy Luo Zhaohui at South Block, reports said, where he is believed to have expressed India’s concerns over China’s persistence at blocking India’s attempts to have Azhar branded a terrorist.
India is likely to present China with some new evidence against Masood Azhar’s terror activities in India, sources said. The issue will 'figure prominently at a high level' on the during the BRICS summit in Goa, they added.
