China said on Saturday that the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan was left over from history and should be resolved as per the UN resolutions while avoiding any unilateral action.
This came in a joint statement issued after talks between the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. This was the 4th round of the 'Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue'.
The China-Pakistan joint statement also comes after India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last week rebuked Pakistan, saying that the neighboring country should answer when they will 'vacate the illegally occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir'.
The joint statement said: The Pakistani side briefed the Chinese side on the latest developments of the situation in Jammu & Kashmir. The Chinese side reiterated that the Kashmir dispute was left over from history and should be properly and peacefully resolved in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. Both sides opposed any unilateral actions that further complicate the already volatile situation.
India has previously criticized China and Pakistan for their references to Jammu and Kashmir. "We have consistently rejected such statements and all parties concerned are well aware of our clear position on these matters. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh are and always will be integral and inalienable parts of India. No other country has locus standi to comment on the same," the Ministry of External Affairs said last year when China and Pakistan mentioned the Kashmir issue in a joint statement.
China and Pakistan also agreed on continuing their enduring support on issues concerning each other's core national interests, the joint statement said. "Reaffirming Pakistan's special place in China's neighbourhood diplomacy, the Chinese side reiterated its firm support for Pakistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as its unity, stability, and economic prosperity."
The Pakistani side reiterated its commitment to the One China policy as well as its firm support to China on all core issues of its national interest, including Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and the South China Sea.
"Reaffirming their commitment to high-quality development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), both sides noted with satisfaction the steady progress of CPEC projects," according to the statement. "Welcoming the completion of a decade of CPEC in 2023, the two sides hailed CPEC as a shining example of Belt and Road cooperation which has accelerated socio-economic development, job creation and improvement of people's livelihoods in Pakistan. Reaffirming their commitment to high-quality development of CPEC, both sides noted with satisfaction the steady progress of CPEC projects. The two sides reiterated the key significance of ML-1 project under the CPEC framework and agreed to advance its earliest implementation. They also agreed to actively advance the Karachi Circular Railway alongside key areas of cooperation including, inter alia, agriculture, science and technology, IT, and renewable energy."
The two sides reviewed the progress of various projects at Gwadar, including the Friendship Hospital and New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA). Both sides reiterated their resolve to develop Gwadar as a high-quality port and a hub for regional trade and connectivity. "Both sides reiterated that CPEC is an open and inclusive platform for win-win cooperation and invited third parties to maximize benefits from CPEC."
The two Foreign Ministers underlined that Pakistan-China friendship was a historic reality and conscious choice of the two nations. As 'All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners', Pakistan and China enjoy complete mutual trust, and their iron-clad friendship enjoys complete consensus in both countries.
Afghan, China, Pakistan FMs meeting
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang also held a tripartite meeting with his counter parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The acting foreign minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is subject to a travel ban by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was given an exemption to visit Islamabad, met his Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang.
China seeks Afghanistan's participation in Belt and Road cooperation and supports Afghanistan's integration into regional economic cooperation and connectivity.
Qin said China is ready to make joint efforts with Afghanistan and Pakistan to implement the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, according to Xinhua news agency.
The three sides also pledged to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation, with China and Pakistan expressing their support for the Taliban-led Afghan government to strengthen capacity building to deal with "terrorist" actors.
China and Pakistan made it clear at the meeting that they oppose interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs, illegal unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan, and all acts that undermine regional peace and stability.
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