NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sam Pitroda said on Monday that the threat from China is often exaggerated and that India should recognise and respect China instead of assuming it as an enemy.
In an interview with news agency IANS, Pitroda said India needs to change its approach towards China. "Our attitude is that of confrontation from day one, and that attitude creates enemy, and that creates certain support in the country. I think we need to change that pattern - to assume that China is the enemy from day one. It is not fair - not just to China, but to anyone."
He also questioned the perception of China as a threat. "I don't know what is the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the US has the habit of defining an enemy," he said.
Pitroda said that all countries should focus on communication and cooperation. "I think the time has come for all nations to collaborate, not confront. China is around. China is growing, you know you got to recognise that and respect that. Every other country is going to grow, some will grow faster, some will grow slower," he said.
His comments come at a time when discussions on India-China relations have intensified following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During a joint press conference on February 13, Trump offered to mediate in the border tensions between India and China.
India rejected the offer, with foreign secretary Vikram Misri saying that India handles its disputes bilaterally. "Whatever issues we have with any of our neighbours, we have always adopted a bilateral approach to dealing with these issues. It's no different between India and China. We have been discussing any issues that we have with them on a bilateral plane, and we will continue to do so," Misri had said.
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Heightened Chinese military activity in Taiwan: 41 aircraft, 9 vessels, 1 ship seen around its territoryBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back at Pitroda's statement, claiming that Sam Pitroda's statement proves that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party have a "soft corner" for China. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, "Congress Party and Rahul Gandhi work for George Soros and as China's agents. At the time of Doklam, Rahul Gandhi was 'secretly' meeting China's ambassador. Sam Pitroda's statement proves that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party have a soft corner for China."
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