Question : CHANGE OF CHINESE ATTITUDE AGAINST INDIA

(a) whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the newsitem captioned `Jiang Zemin ridicules India` published in the Hindustan Times dated January 31, 2000;

(b) whether it is the failure of our Foreign mission in Beijing or is the repercussion of our Defence Minister`s accusation that China is a bigger potential threat than Pakistan or clean chit given by our Foreign Minister from Chinese soil; and

(c) if so, the reaction of the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JASWANT SINGH)
(a): Yes, Sir.
(b): No, Sir.
(c): The subject matter of the news item has been taken up with the Chinese authorities. They have reiterated their desire to develop friendly, good-neighbourly and co-operative relations with India.