In a huge setback to the terror state of Pakistan, its closest ally China on Tuesday decided to snub Pakistan after it decided to drop references to the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions on Kashmir issue and stressed that India and Pakistan should take the bilateral route to resolve all disputes.
According to a Times Of India reports, in a significant departure from its earlier stand, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that China called upon both countries to enhance dialogue and consultation on issues including Kashmir. To make it worse for Pakistan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry made these comments in presence of visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
“We call on India and Pakistan to engage in dialogue and consultation on all issues, including the Kashmir issue and consolidate mutual trust. This is in line with the interest of both countries and common aspiration of the world,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Tuesday.
China’s statement comes ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to India, which is reportedly scheduled to take place between October 11 and 13.
Earlier, after the historic abrogation of Article 370, Beijing had insisted that Kashmir issue should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement. In fact, China had even supported Pakistan by maintaining such a position at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Kashmir, which ended without any outcome.
However, on Tuesday, China indicated that it was willing to engage with India on the issue of Kashmir and ready to go back to its pre-August 5 position when it had held that the Kashmir issue should be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan. The omission of references to the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions particularly assumes significance at a time when Imran Khan and Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa are in Beijing to meet Xi and other Chinese leaders.
With changing its stand on Kashmir, China now officially confirms to India’s stand that there should be no third-party mediation on the Kashmir issue. “China’s position on Kashmir issue is clear and consistent,” Geng emphasized.
Meanwhile, President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India in the next week. However, Beijing has not yet formally announced Xi’s visit to India. It has called a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the President’s “outbound tour” where the announcement might be made.
The historic coastal town of Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu is expected to be the venue for the second India-China informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Last year in April, Prime Minister Modi had visited Wuhan in the first informal summit to strengthen bilateral ties.
Ever since India repealed Article 370, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its separate status, the Pakistan establishment has been running from pillar to post to garner support to internationalise Kashmir issue. However, major powers of the world have stood by India in declaring that abrogation of special status is an internal issue and urged both countries to resolve the issue bilaterally while rejecting Pakistan’s assertions.
