Observer Report
Beijing
China has announced it will “uphold justice for Pakistan on the international arena” and that it supports the decision to approach the United Nations Security Council in the wake of India’s decision to revoke Kashmir’s special status.
The foreign ministers of both countries held an urgent meeting in Beijing on Friday to discuss the current situation in occupied Kashmir following the move made by India earlier this week.
A statement released by China’s foreign ministry, said that it will “continue to support Pakistan in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests”.
According to the statement, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted that China is “seriously concerned about the latest escalation of tensions in Kashmir”.
China also believes that unilateral actions “will complicate the situation” and should not be taken.
It called on Pakistan and India to “properly resolve historical grievances, get rid of the zero-sum mindset, avoid unilateral action and seek a new path to peaceful coexistence”.
China recognises that the Kashmir dispute must be properly resolved “based on the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement”, said the statement.
Following the meeting, in a video statement, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that he had held a two-and-a-half hour long meeting with FM Yi.
Qureshi said that FM Yi had remarked that the meeting had been “a very beneficial and timely” one.
He said that FM Yi had told him that despite a busy schedule and the short notice, he was holding the meeting on the instructions of President Xi Jinping because “the nature of the relationship between Pakistan and China is different and the response level should also be different”.
I am happy to share that I presented Pakistan’s point of view and its concerns surrounding India’s recent measures on occupied Kashmir,” said Qureshi in the video statement.
“China once more proved itself to be a trustworthy friend,” he said, adding, “China completely supported Pakistan’s stance on the matter.”
He went on to say that China agreed with Pakistan that India’s actions are unilateral and that with the change in status of occupied Kashmir the region’s stability and peace are in danger. “It was agreed that it was a disputed territory and still is — a fact which is also recognised by the UN — and the solution will have to come after making the resolutions outlined by UN a basis,” said Qureshi.
