Beijing: China reacted cautiously to the first-ever India-US-Japan meeting, hoping that the talks involving the three countries with "great influence" in the Asia-Pacific will be conducive to regional peace and stability.
Beijing has taken note of the relevant report on the trilateral talks that took place in Washington on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a media briefing in Beijing when asked about the meeting.
"US, Japan and India are countries with great influence in the Asia-Pacific region. We hope the trilateral meeting will be conducive to regional peace and stability," he said.
The meeting raised eyebrows in Beijing as it came against the backdrop of disputes between China and its neighbours like Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines and Brunei over the resource-rich South China Sea.
While China was wary of a major US push into the Pacific where Washington backed the claims of smaller countries over South China Sea, India too made inroads under its "Look East Policy" improving its relations with several countries in the region.
India's entry has already ruffled feathers in China as it objected to ONGC Videsh undertaking oil exploration in the blocks claimed by Vietnam in South China Sea.
New Delhi, on its part, asserted that it is purely a commercial deal. India has also stated that it wants to ensure free navigation against the backdrop of one of its naval ships getting a radio message that it was passing through Chinese waters when it was in the region after a visit to Vietnam.
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