Indo-US N-deal represents "major" policy shift: Chinese media

Beijing, Oct 9 (PTI) The enactment of the legislation on
the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal by President George W. Bush is a
"major policy shift" for the United States, China's official
media commented Thursday.

"It was widely believed that the U.S.-India nuclear deal
represents a major policy shift for the United States,"
state-run Xinhua news agency commented in a report.

"Strategic, diplomatic and economic ties between India
and the United States have blossomed after New Delhi was quick
to back Washington's war on terror after the September 11
attacks in 2001," it noted as the media here have generally
commented that by inking the nuclear deal, Washington was
trying to use New Delhi as a counter-balance against China.

The report also took note of U.S. President George W.
Bush's comments while signing the legislation into law that
the Indo-U.S. civilian nuclear pact as a "big deal ... between
the world's two largest democracies."

The report also mentioned that the U.S. Congress gave
final approval to the legislation authorising civilian nuclear
trade with India, which "built its atomic bombs outside the
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty." PTI AKJ
PMR
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