Long Xingchun, a research fellow at the Charhar Institute, Director of the Center for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, and a visiting scholar at the Department of International Relations at the University of Colombo, wrote an article captioned 'S. China Sea patrols bring no benefit to India', which was published by the state-owned Global Times on February 25, 2016. He writes often on issues concerning South Asia. Referring to a Reuters report of earlier this month suggesting that the US and India had talked about launching joint naval patrols in the South China Sea in the name of safeguarding freedom of navigation, it noted that the Ministry of External Affairs and the US had denied the plan. Stating that "India's interests in the South China Sea are not threatened", it recalled that by rejecting Hanoi's invitation to the Indian navy to set up a military base at Na Thrang port, Manmohan Singh's administration had "fully demonstrated that the Indian government recognizes that its interests in the South China Sea are under no threat so that there is no need to build military presence in the region". The article nevertheless cautioned that if India joined in the US' plan it would become "vassal state" like Japan and Australia and this would "damage India's dignity and deter its pursuit to become a great power. The move will definitely encounter vehement opposition from the Indian public, triggering a severe political disaster that the Narendra Modi government could predict". The article said "India needs to develop more friends instead of making more enemies", and pointed out that "China is the most important neighbor of India and the two have embraced booming development in their bilateral economic and trading ties over the past decade. Beijing's investment in India has enjoyed high-speed growth and Modi has been ramping up Sino-Indian economic ties since assuming office in May 2014".  It simultaneously warned that "In economy, politics and security, China is far more capable of making trouble for India than the reverse" adding that "If New Delhi chooses to follow in the US footsteps, it means the country is taking part in US "pivot to Asia" strategy and adopting a major strategic shift. This move will inevitably divide Asian nations into two camps, further giving rise to regional tensions. Nonetheless, if India takes a neutral stance that tallies with its cultural tradition, it will better realize its national interest".