China asks US to shed bias after Tillerson criticises Beijing's development

Foreign Ministry said it did not mind if ties between India, US were conducive to development in the region

China has asked the US to shed its "biased views" and work with Beijing to uphold the momentum for a steady and sound relation, a day after the top American diplomat lashed out at the Chinese model of funding infrastructure projects and developmental activities.

Beijing was reacting to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's remarks about America deepening ties with India to counter China.

The Foreign Ministry said it did not mind if ties between India and the US were conducive to development in the region.

"We are happy to see the development of relations between these countries as long as they are conducive to the peaceful development of the region and enhancement of relations among the regional countries," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

"The US should abandon its biased views on China and work with it towards the same goal to uphold the momentum for a steady and sound China relations," Lu added.

Tillerson, who will visit India next week, described India as America's partner and said Washington cannot have the same relationship with "non-democratic" Beijing as it has with New Delhi.

The Secretary of State also slammed China for violating maritime laws in the South China Sea.

Lu countered: "China steadfastly upheld the international order with the UN at the core and based on the purposes and principles of UN charter we will firmly uphold the multilateralism yet we will also firmly safeguard our own interests and rights."

In a major India-policy speech yesterday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had highlighted the need for collaborating with New Delhi on offering an alternative model of financing infrastructure projects and economic development to that of China whom he described as "predatory economics".

He had lashed out at the Chinese model of funding infrastructure projects and developmental activities, saying it does not create jobs and results in an enormous level of debt.

Playing down Tillerson's criticism of China and his remarks to deepen ties with India, Lu told reporters here that the US should take a more objective look at China's development.

"China steadfastly upheld the international order with the UN at the core and based on the purposes and principles of UN charter we will firmly uphold the multilateralism yet we will also firmly safeguard our own interests and rights," he said while responding to a question on Tillerson's remarks.

The US diplomat had branded China a "predatory rule breaker" especially in the South China Sea and leaving countries in debt.

China hopes that Washington can look China's development in an "objective way" as well as China's role in the international community, Lu said.

Tillerson's strong comments coincided with China's once- in-a-five-year congress of the ruling Communist Party of China which is set to endorse a second term for President Xi Jinping.

On October 17, a top official of the CPC told media here told media here Chinese firms have invested about $560 billion in different countries abroad most of it was stated to project financing.

"Between 2013 and 2016 Chinese companies have invested about $560 billion overseas, paid over $100 billion in various kind of taxes to the host countries and created millions of jobs for the local communities," Tuo Zhen, spokesman of 19th Congress of the CPC said, refuting reports that China has been bringing its own workers and not hiring locally to execute several infrastructure projects that China is funding under the more than $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).