BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed serious concern over the latest flare-up in tensions over Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) and said his country believes that “unilateral actions, which would complicate the situation, should not be taken”.“The Kashmir issue is a dispute left from colonial history,” he told Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who arrived here on Friday to brief the Chinese leadership about the prevailing situation in held Kashmir in the wake of India’s move to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of its constitution.Wang said: “It should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement.”Wang noted that China was seriously concerned about the latest escalation of tensions in Kashmir and stressed that as all-weather strategic cooperative partners, China and Pakistan had understood and supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests.“This is a good tradition that should be cherished by the two sides,” he added. The Chinese foreign minister maintained that China would continue to support Pakistan in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, and uphold justice for Pakistan on the international arena.Wang also noted that Pakistan and India were both China’s friendly neighbours and major developing countries that were in a crucial stage of development. “We call on the two sides to proceed from their national development and peace in South Asia, properly resolve historical grievances, get rid of the zero-sum mindset, avoid unilateral action and seek a new path to peaceful co-existence,” he added.Foreign Minister Qureshi briefed the Chinese side on Pakistan’s observations, position and measures in response to the latest development in Kashmir. Qureshi said China was Pakistan’s friend that had long been trusted, and that friendship between the two countries was rock solid. He believed China would stand up for justice on the Kashmir issue, adding: “Pakistan will continue to resolutely support China’s just position on issues concerning China’s core interests.”Qureshi said the Pakistani side would continue to advance China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Upon his arrival at Diaoyutai State Guest House for the formal talks, Qureshi was warmly received by his Chinese counterpart. Both the foreign ministers were assisted by senior officials of their respective countries.Earlier, upon his arrival at the Beijing Capital airport, Foreign Minister Qureshi was received by Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Ms Naghmana Hashmi and senior officials of the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs. China protested this week after India reaffirmed its claim to China’s Kashmir territory on a Himalayan plateau. India’s foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is to visit Beijing from Sunday for talks with Wang.
08-10-2019, 11:45 AM
Beijing cautions India against unilateral actions
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