China urges Pakistan, India to exercise restraint

Tensions in Muslim-majority Kashmir have escalated since August when India downgraded the autonomy of the area of Kashmir and imposed a lock-down.

Beijing: China urged Pakistan and India to exercise restraint on Friday after the two countries traded fire in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

The latest exchanges killed two Pakistani troops, an Indian soldier and a civilian woman, officials of both sides said on Thursday.

Tensions in Muslim-majority Kashmir have escalated since August when India downgraded the autonomy of the area of Kashmir and imposed a lock-down.

In Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said that China called on both countries to "resolve disputes through dialogue and jointly maintain regional peace and stability".

Geng also commented on the detention of former Xinjiang University President Tashpolat Tiyip. who has reportedly been sentenced to death.

United Nations human rights experts have criticised the reported death sentence and called on Beijing to make Tiyip's whereabouts public and allow his family to visit him.

Geng said Tiyip was arrested on suspicion of corruption and bribery and that the trial was still going on.