White House dismisses China's concern over growing Indo-US ties

The US on Monday dismissed China's concerns over growing Indo-US ties, arguing that the relationship is not aimed at "containing" or "holding China down".

"It is notable that they (China) should feel like they have to go out of their way to comment on this visit," the National Deputy Security Advisor, Ben Rhodes, told reporters when asked about the comments made by the Chinese state media that this trip is "superficial".

China's state-run news agency Xinhua had on January 25 described President Barack Obama's unprecedented second visit to India as a "superficial rapprochement" given their hard differences on issues like climate change and nuclear energy cooperation.

"What I'd say in response is I think the way in which the US and India approach the issue in the Asia Pacific is very similar in the sense that nobody is aiming for confrontation with China or even to contain China.

"Both the US and India have very close relations with China in many different fields," Rhodes said at a news conference on the second day of Obama's India visit to attend the Republic Day celebrations.