The recent decision by China to block a bid at the United Nations to list Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group, as a global terrorist, is doing "material harm" to its ties with India, top American experts said today.


Last week, China had blocked a bid at the United Nations by the US, France, and Britain to list Azhar as a global terrorist, citing a lack of consensus among the members of the UN Security Council.


A veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India's move to designate Azhar a terrorist under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.


"I think it's an unfortunate move on China's part and I question the logic of continuing to block sanctions on known Pakistan-based terrorists at the United Nations," Jeff Smith from the Heritage Foundation told PTI.