Srinagar: The Chinese Foreign Ministry spoke about the Kashmir dispute and urged India and Pakistan to resolve tensions peacefully as tensions between them over border disputes are escalating. Addressing the media in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responding to a query from a Pakistani journalist said that India and Pakistan should resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue and consultation and avoid taking "unilateral actions".
She further said that China's stand on the Kashmir issue has been "consistent and clear" and that disputes between India and Pakistan should be resolved peacefully using dialogue and diplomacy. "This is a historical issue between India and Pakistan and should be resolved peacefully in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements."
She added that "the parties concerned should refrain from taking unilateral actions that may further complicate the situation, but engage in dialogue and consultation to resolve the conflict and maintain peace and stability in the region."Although several countries, including China, have often expressed their views on the issue, India has firmly stated that it will always reject third-party interference on the Kashmir issue, saying that Jammu and Kashmir's matters relating to the Union Territory is entirely internal to it.
In March this year, India's Foreign Ministry said, "Other countries, including China, have no right to comment on the issue. They should remember that India avoids public judgment on its internal issues." India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads over Jammu and Kashmir for decades, with cross-border militancy seeping into the country from Pakistan. Tensions escalated when India decided to abrogate Article 370, ending the Special Status of the Union Territory.
