'US spies on China'

RUSSIA: Russian state television accused the United States on Sunday of spying on China and Russia after secretly turning its only remaining air base in Central Asia into a state-of-the-art surveillance centre.

A US defence official dismissed the allegations as ridiculous on Friday, when Rossiya television, widely seen as an official mouthpiece in Russia, released a clip of the documentary it aired on Sunday about the Manas base.

Kyrgyzstan told Washington in February to close the base near the capital Bishkek, used to send supplies to US troops in Afghanistan, after it secured a $2 billion economic aid package from Russia. The Americans are due to leave in August.

Moscow, Monday, Reuters