Ahead of Xi-Modi meet, India, China talk tough on Kashmir

NEW DELHI/BEIJING: Fourty-eight hours ahead of the Modi-Xi summit in Tamil Nadu's Mamallapuram, India and China on Wednesday exchanged sharp words on Kashmir with New Delhi saying it did not welcome comments on its internal matters in response to a reference to "relevant" UN resolutions after Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting with Pakistani PM Imran Khan.
Responding to questions on China's statement that the J&K dispute should be resolved as per UN resolutions, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "India's position has been consistent and clear that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India. China is well aware of our position. It is not for other countries to comment on the internal affairs of India."

Making no attempt to sidestep the issue hours before the Chinese leader was to emplane for India, Kumar added, "We have seen the report regarding meeting of Chinese President Xi Jinping with Pakistan's PM Imran Khan which also refers to their discussions on Kashmir."

Noting that China and Pakistan were all-weather strategic partners, Xi is reported to have said, "No matter how the international and regional situation changes, the friendship between China and Pakistan has always been unbreakable and rock solid, and China-Pakistan cooperation has always maintained strong vitality."

A joint press release on Xi's meeting with Khan said China was paying close attention to the current situation in J&K and reiterated that the Kashmir issue, being a dispute left from history, should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN charter, relevant UNSC resolutions and bilateral pacts.
"The rights and wrongs of the situation in Kashmir are clear," Xi was quoted by China Central Television as having told Khan. "China supports Pakistan in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests and hopes the parties concerned can resolve the dispute through peaceful dialogue," he added.

China said it opposed any unilateral actions that complicated the situation. And though the joint statement noted that the parties needed to settle disputes through dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect, the tilt towards Pakistan was evident.
Significantly, government sources said India will not raise the Kashmir issue with Xi during the forthcoming summit.