China calls on India, Pak to resolve disputes through talks as Qureshi meets Wang
China on Friday told Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who air-dashed here to seek its support on Kashmir, that it regards both India and Pakistan as “friendly neighbours” and wants them to resolve the issue through UN resolutions and the Shimla agreement.
Tensions between India and Pakistan spiralled after New Delhi revoked Article 370 to withdraw the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh.
In reaction to India’s move, Pakistan downgraded the diplomatic relations by expelling the Indian High Commissioner and suspended trade ties with New Delhi.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi arrived here on Friday morning to seek all-weather ally China’s support for Pakistan’s efforts to ratchet-up the Kashmir issue.Qureshi met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi who assured him that Chinawill continue to support Pakistan in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests and uphold justice for the country on the international arena.China is seriously concerned about the recently escalated tensions in Kashmir. The Kashmir issue is a dispute left from the colonial history. It should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement, Wang said, in an apparent reference to the Shimla agreement which cals for the issue to be settled bilaterally.He said China believed that unilateral actions that will complicate the situation should not be taken.Wang also noted that Pakistan and India are both China’s friendly neighbors and major developing countries that are in a crucial stage of development.”We call on the two sides to bear in mind 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 coexistence,” Wang said.The Chinese foreign minister stressed that as all-weather strategic cooperative partners, China and Pakistan have understood and supported each other on issues concerning our respective core interests.Qureshi briefed Wang about Pakistan’s position and measures in response to the latest developments in Kashmir.
