US playing dirty with China and neighbours?

As China vehemently refutes reports of its army's presence in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, a leading Chinese expert has pointed fingers at the US, accusing it of trying to sow seeds of discord between Beijing and its neighbours.

Han Hua, an associate professor at Peking University's School of International Studies, says the US has been needling China for the past several months, be it the issue of supply of nuclear reactors to Pakistan or Beijing's flood aid.

"After assuming power in January last year, Obama has put two issues on top of his policy agenda: withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and coping with emerging powers, especially China," he said.

"But it is hard to understand why the US has been trying to sow seeds of discord between China and its neighbours," he added.

...

Han said US has been pointing a finger at China, directly or indirectly, over the past several months, especially over issues involving China's relations with its neighbours.

"The devastating floods in Pakistan have given it another opportunity to prod China," Han said in an apparent reference to US special envoy Richard Holbrooke's remarks that China should step up its assistance.

"Despite suffering severely from floods and landslides at home, China was one of the first countries to respond to the devastation in Pakistan. Yet Washington, on a few occasions, has expressed dissatisfaction with Beijing's contribution," he wrote in an article in China Daily.

However, China has steadily stepped up its aid to Pakistan's flood victims from the initial 10 million Yuan ($1.48 million) to about 120 million Yuan, (about $17.64 million) in the recent weeks. China has also sent a medical mission to Pakistan.

China's Foreign Office spokesperson Jiang Yu, while denying presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit-Baltistan area said on Thursday that attempts were underway through fabricated stories to destroy China's relations with Pakistan and India.

"As a target of US prodding, China, therefore, has to strengthen ties with all its neighbours through public and normative diplomacy," he said.

Han also pointed to US attempts to stall China's plans to build two new nuclear reactors for Pakistan.

He wrote that some Americans are pointing a finger at China over the proposed sale of nuclear reactors to Pakistan since February when China National Nuclear Corporation announced the loan agreement to build two more 340-MW nuclear reactors at Chashma.

"India, seen as a long-time foe of Pakistan, seems to be using diplomacy to block the Sino-Pakistani deal, even though it signed a similar deal with the US in 2006," he said.