China for peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue

• India and Pakistan to resolve Kashmir issue according to the relevant UN Charter and UN resolutions.
• The border issue between India and China would come under discussion during President Xi’s visit to India.

BEIJING: China has always taken Kashmir as an issue between India and Pakistan and hoped that this issue could be resolved through friendly and peaceful negotiations between the two countries as per United Nations Charter and its relevant resolutions, a Chinese Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Tuesday said.

“We always take Kashmir as a problem between India and Pakistan.

And we hope this issue should be resolved through friendly and peaceful negotiations between India and Pakistan according to the relevant UN Charter and UN resolutions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Hua Chunying said here while talking to a group of journalists from Asian and African countries.

She said since both India and Pakistan were good neighbors of China, the Chinese side hoped that its great neighbors could be in peaceful terms with each other.

Hua said both India and Pakistan could try their best to resolve the issue peacefully through negotiations.

She said the India’s relations with Pakistan could be much better because they were neighbours and there was no reason why the two neighbors could not get along with each other.

“So that's our great wishes, best wishes for our neighbors India and Pakistan,” she added.

The spokesperson hoped that the issue of Kashmir could be resolved peacefully and there would not be any war or chaos and that was China’s position as well.

On a question regarding President Xi’s upcoming visit to India, she informed that Indian Prime Minister Narendara Modi had invited the Chinese President for a visit to India during the Wuhan meeting last year.

The date, venues and other details of the visit of President Xi would be released later, she added.

She, however, said in addition to exchange views on different issues, the border issue between India and China would come under discussion during President Xi’s visit to India.

“We have border issues between China and India, both sides at all levels have very fruitful, and smooth channels for communications in this regards,” she added.

China, she said always keep its words and never intended to do anything that could harm the mutual trust between China and India and hoped to see the same good willingness from the Indian side.

She said both the countries could work together to safeguard and maintain peace and stability in the border area.

To a question regarding Kashmir either it would be on agenda or not, she explained that she was not sure because this was an informal kind of summit and leaders meeting.

“But of course, all the leaders here are free to talk about whatever they want to discuss”, she added.

About India reluctance to join Belt and Road Initiative, she remarked that this was up to the Indian side to decide when and how they could join One Belt One Road which had been enjoying more and more support and understanding from all of the countries around the world.

She said the Belt and Road Initiative was purely an initiative for mutually beneficial cooperation and there was no strategic thinking or any hidden agenda behind it.

“So we hope, the Indians could understand our good wishes and the significance of this initiative and also join this initiative,” she added.

About climate change, she said there were some doubts about One Belt One Road influence on the climate change, adding, the Chinese government always took climate change as one of the important requirements of its sustainable development.

“And it is a very important part of China’s efforts to build a community of shared future.

So, we are always ready and very active for the international cooperation in addressing climate change issues,” she added.

About Hong Kong situation, she said the central government fully supported all the action taken by SAR government to restore law and order there.