Beijing has conveyed to New Delhi its concern over India’s growing clamour on the South China Sea dispute, particularly in reference to the row in the joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe earlier this month.

China is understood to have conveyed its concerns to India through diplomatic channels, both in New Delhi and Beijing, making it clear that it would expect “the countries outside the region” to respect efforts being made by “the countries in the region” to maintain security and stability of South China Sea, rather than “provoking tension and confrontation”.

Modi and Abe on December 12 last urged all states to avoid unilateral actions that could lead to tensions in South China Sea–apparently a call to Beijing to refrain from building new islands and air-strips in the disputed waters and from efforts to curb freedom of navigation and over flight.

China, according to the diplomatic sources, conveyed to India that it always respected the freedom of navigation and over-flight for all states in the South China Sea in accordance with international laws and would continue to do so.

Read more: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/520085/china-irked-indias-south-china.html