BEIJING/HONG KONG: China called on India and Pakistan to “peacefully resolve relevant disputes through dialogue”, a spokesperson for its foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
In response to a question on India’s move to abolish Article 370 of the Constitution that grants special status to Indian occupied Kashmir, as well as the exchange of fire, shelling, New Delhi’s deployment of additional troops, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China was “seriously concerned about the current situation in Kashmir”.
Beijing’s position was “clear and consistent”, the spokesperson said, adding: “This issue is a legacy of history between India and Pakistan, which is also the consensus of the international community.
“The parties concerned should exercise restraint and act with caution, especially to avoid actions that unilaterally change the status quo and exacerbate the tension.
“We call on the two sides to peacefully resolve relevant disputes through dialogue and consultation and safeguard regional peace and stability,” she mentioned.
China also said India’s move on Kashmir violated its territorial sovereignty, opposing the decision to revoke the Himalayan region’s special status.
“India’s action is unacceptable and would not have any legal effect,” she said.
Beijing urged New Delhi to be cautious on border issues and to strictly abide by the agreements reached by both countries in order to avoid any actions that would further complicate boundary issues, Hua said.
Separately, in response to the establishment of the Ladakh Central Territory, which involves the territory of the western section of the Sino-Indian border, Hua said: “A: China has always opposed the Indian side’s entry of the Chinese territory in the western section of the Sino-Indian border into the administrative jurisdiction of India.
“This position is firm and consistent and has never changed. Recently, the Indian side has continued to damage China’s territorial sovereignty by unilaterally modifying the form of domestic law,” she underlined, adding that the practice was “unacceptable and will not have any effect”.
The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson noted: “We urge the Indian side to be cautious on the border issue, strictly abide by the relevant agreements reached between the two sides, and avoid taking actions that further complicate the border issue.”
