China to block India's NSG bid again

Beijing: China on Monday said it has not changed its position on India's membership bid for the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), indicating it will again block New Delhi's plea at the plenary session in Bern next month.

"China's position on the non-NPT member's participation in the NSG has not changed," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday.

"We support the NSG group following the mandate of the 2016 plenary session and following building consensus as well as the intergovernmental process that is open and transparent to deal with the relevant issues in a two-step approach, she added.

China has repeatedly blocked India's bid to enter the elite grouping, which regulates the world's nuclear trade.