China says unilateral change to Kashmir's status illegal, invalid

BEIJING: The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Beijing adopted a principled stance over the Kashmir issue and stressed that any unilateral change in the status quo in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) was illegal and invalid.

“Our position is consistent and clear. This issue is a dispute left over from history between Pakistan and India that is an objective fact established by the United Nations Charter, United Nations Security Council’s resolutions and bilateral agreement between Pakistan and India,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during his regular briefing while reacting to one year completion of India’s unilateral actions to change the demography of IOJK.

He said, any unilateral change to the status quo (in IOJK) was illegal and invalid, and emphasized that the issue should be properly resolved peacefully through dialogue and consultation between the parties concerned, reported the state news agency.

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On the continuing massive atrocities on innocent Kashmiris at the hands of Indian troops deployed in the held territory and India’s escalating ceasefire violations and rhetoric against Pakistan which posed a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, the spokesperson said, “China follows closely the situation in the Kashmir region.”

Wang Wenbin remarked that Pakistan and India were neighbours that could not be moved away. “Peaceful coexistence serves the fundamental interest of both and the common aspiration of the international community.

“The Chinese side hopes that the two nations could properly handle differences through dialogue, improves relations and jointly safeguard peace, stability and development of both countries and the wider region,” he added.

To a query about the issuance of a new map by Pakistan showing a part of Kashmir as disputed territory, the spokesperson said he had already stated China’s position on the Kashmir issue and he would not repeat it.