China supports India''s desire "to play bigger role" in UNSC

K J M Varma

Beijing, Jan 17 (PTI) Describing India as a "largedeveloping country" with aspiration to play a bigger role inthe Security Council, China today said it supported "rational"and "necessary" reform in the powerful UN body with increasedrepresentation for developing countries.

Reacting cautiously to assertions of the India''s envoyto UN, Hardeep Singh Puri''s remarks that China would not be anobstacle to Indian becoming a permanent member of the UNSC,Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Hong Lei said Beijingunderstands and supports New Delhi�s desire to play a biggerrole in the UN, including the UNSC.

"China had always attached importance to India''s rolein international affairs either as an emerging economy or alarge developing country," state-run Xinhua news agency quotedHong as saying while responding to Puri�s remarks.

"China understands and supports India''s desire to playa bigger role in the United Nations, including its SecurityCouncil," he said.

"We support rational and necessary reform of the UNSC,and increasing the representation of developing countries atthe UNSC should be a priority," said the Chinese ForeignMinistry spokesman.

"China is ready to keep contacts and consultationswith the UN member states, including India, on the reform ofthe UNSC," Hong said.

"There is no change in China''s position on the reformof the UNSC," Hong said.

At the same time, he stated that member countries hadsharply divergent views on the reform of the UNSC, and allparties should continue democratic and patient negotiations inan effort to find solutions that had popular support amongmember countries.

China is the only member of the permanent five of theUNSC that has not yet openly come out in support of India''sbid for a permanent seat.

US President Barack Obama supported India�s case for apermanent seat in the UNSC during his visit to New Delhi lastyear.

Besides Puri, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao also saidafter the recent visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to NewDelhi that she too believe China was unlikely to stand in theway when the process of reform reaches an ultimate decisionstage.