(China Daily2008-06-20 08:17)China has no plans to try and dominate the shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean, its ambassador to India said on Wednesday.

"We don't have such an intention to establish a chain to encircle India," said Ambassador Zhang Yan at a luncheon held by the Asia Society in Hong Kong.

"It's not in China's interest to undertake this kind of strategic move. We see India as our partner," he said, adding that speculation on a China policy of encirclement was "unfounded."

Zhang's remark was believed to be in response to the suspicion held by a number of Indian politicians that China is trying to assert greater control over the important shipping lanes around Asia, following Beijing's recent decision to build ports in Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Reports have said that thousands of Chinese-flagged ships pass through the waters around India every year, laden with goods destined for the lucrative European market.

Zhang added that China does not protect the commercial trips with a military presence and there are no plans to do so.

"We at this stage don't feel there is a need to send a navy ship to accompany our commercial ships in the area," he said.

Observing that Sino-Indian relations were on a "fast track", Zhang said ties between the two countries were of global and strategic importance and Beijing takes a "positive view" of India's emergence as a major power.

China attaches great importance to India's position as a major developing country in the world and "understands and supports India's aspirations to play a greater role in international affairs", he said.

China takes a "positive view of India's emergence and considers the development of either side as a positivecontribution to peace, stability and prosperity of Asia and the world, rather than a threat", he said.

Noting that both countries were "very much conscious" of the outstanding issues between them, Zhang said India and China were matured enough to handle their differences "in the best manner".
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