No plan to encircle India, says China envoy

China has no plans to try and dominate the shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean, its ambassador to India said on Wednesday.

"We don't have such an intention to establish a chain to encircle India," said Ambassador Zhang Yan at a luncheon held by the Asia Society in Hong Kong.

"It's not in China's interest to undertake this kind of strategic move. We see India as our partner," he said, adding that speculation on a China policy of encirclement was "unfounded."