Agni III not a threat, India's a friend: China

Dismissing reports that India's nuclear-capable Agni-III missile, which has a range of 3,500 km, posed a threat to China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said China and India were having friendly and cooperative relations.

Describing its ties with India as "friendly and cooperative," China on Tuesday said both countries did not pose mutual threat.

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Dismissing reports that India's nuclear-capable Agni-III missile, which has a range of 3,500 km posed a threat to
China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said China and India were having friendly and cooperative relations.

"I don't want to interpret or comment on the reports," Ma said when asked to comment on the February 7 launch of
Agni-III which put China's major cities within its strike range.

"The China-India relation is friendly and cooperative. China will not be a threat to India, and nor will India pose a
threat to China," Ma was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu refused to comment on the reports at a regular news briefing, only saying
that China-India relations maintain their good momentum.

"Bilateral ties will move forward with the joint effort of both countries," he said.