United Nations/New Delhi: Raising the Kashmir issue at the United Nations, China has told the General Assembly that the "dispute" should be peacefully and properly addressed in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and the bilateral agreement.
China, a close ally of Pakistan, also stressed that no actions should be taken that would unilaterally change the "status quo".
"The Kashmir issue, a dispute left from the past, should be peacefully and properly addressed in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement," State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi said in his address to the UN General Assembly on Friday.
"No actions that would unilaterally change the status quo should be taken. As a neighbour of both India and Pakistan, China hopes to see the dispute effectively managed and stability restored to the relationship between the two sides," Wang said.
India on Saturday objected to China's reference to the Kashmir issue, saying the region is an integral part of the country and all nations should respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"We expect that other countries will respect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and desist from efforts to change the status quo through the illegal so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, adding that the recent developments were entirely a "matter internal to us".
India ended Jammu and Kashmir's special status by abrogating Article 370 of its Constitution and bifurcated the State into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh - on August 5.
The decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian ambassador.
The Chinese Foreign Minister's remarks came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the Kashmir issue in his maiden address to the UN General Assembly.
Khan spoke at length about India's decision to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and criticised the government's move to put in place a communication lockdown.
Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue after India withdrew the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, but New Delhi has asserted the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter" and has asked Islamabad to accept the reality.
India has also said that there is no scope for any third party mediation on the Kashmir issue.
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