(TibetanReview.net, Aug23’20) – India has strongly objected to China and Pakistan referring to the status of Jammu & Kashmir and the current situation there in a joint statement issued by them after talks between their foreign ministers in China on Aug 22. “J&K is an integral and inalienable part of India and we expect the parties concerned to not interfere in matters that are internal affairs of India,” the timesofindia.com Aug 23 quoted Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava as saying in a statement.
It was the second strategic dialogue between Chinese and Pakistani foreign ministers Wang Yi and Shah Mehmood Qureshi which took place in Hainan on Aug 21.
A joint statement issued at the meeting was quoted as saying: “both sides underlined that a peaceful, stable, cooperative and prosperous South Asia was in common interest of all parties. Parties need to settle disputes and issues in the region through dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect”.
“The Pakistani side briefed the Chinese side on the situation in J&K, including its concerns, position and current urgent issues.”
“The Chinese side reiterated that the Kashmir issue is a dispute left over from history between India and Pakistan, which is an objective fact, and that the dispute should be resolved peacefully and properly through the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation”, the joint press release was quoted as saying.
The very mention of the issue and the references to the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions are in line with Pakistan’s desire and against that of India.
In its statement, New Delhi also said: “India has repeatedly conveyed its concerns to both China and to Pakistan on the projects in the so-called China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which are in the territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan. We resolutely oppose actions by other countries that change the status quo in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir and call on the parties concerned to cease such actions.”
Pakistan sees China as its key ally against India on the J&K issue while for China the top priority is the completion of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a major Belt and Road Initiative project for global expansion of China’s trade and geostrategic interests.
Pakistan’s foreign minister rushed to China after receiving it and failed to convince Saudi Arabia and Organization of Islamic Countries led by it to take up the Kashmir issue at the international level.
