In Pulwama backdrop, Pak finds firm support in China

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China appreciates Pak’s efforts to ease the situation and calls on Pakistan and India to continue to exercise restraint and resolve the differences via dialogue... WANG YI, Chinese foreign minister

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I think the world has noted that Pakistan did exercise restraint… Pakistan appreciates the role China had played... in standing by Pakistan in these difficult times

SHAH MEHMOOD QURESHI, Pakistan foreign mister

BEIJING: CHINA on Tuesday assured Pakistan of firm support in protecting its territorial integrity and sovereignty during bilateral strategic talks in Beijing, where Islamabad raised the “rapidly deteriorating” situation in Kashmir.

Addressing a joint news conference with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to ease tensions with India following the Pulwama terror attack, which was claimed by the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-emohammed (JEM), and which killed 40 Indian troopers.

The Pulwama attack was followed by an Indian air strike on a JEM facility within Pakistan and an aerial engagement along the Line of Control.

Though China joined other members of the UN Security Council in condemning the Pulwama attack in a statement that named the JEM, it caused disappointment in India last week by blocking a move spearheaded by France, Britain and the US to list JEM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. This was the fourth time China used a “hold” to block the sanctioning of Azhar.

India did not immediately respond to the remarks by China and Pakistan.

Wang reiterated Beijing’s “firm” support to Islamabad amid growing international pressure on Pakistan to crack down on cross-border terror.

“No matter how things change in the world and the region, China will firmly support Pakistan upholding its independence and territorial integrity and dignity,” he said. “China appreciates Pakistan’s constructive efforts to ease the situation and calls on Pakistan and India to continue to exercise restraint and resolve the differences that exist via dialogue and peaceful means,” Wang said.

He was addressing a news conference after the first strategic dialogue between the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan.

China, he added, has always believed peace and stability in South Asia is in the interest of all countries in the region and that this is also what the world community desires.

Wang further said China-pakistan ties remain “rock solid and vibrant” despite the changing international landscape.

Qureshi said Pakistan was “always ready and is still ready” for talks with India to resolve differences. He added the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was discussed during the dialogue.

“I also briefed the foreign minister on the rapidly deteriorating situation on the Indian side of Kashmir (and) intensification of human rights violations, especially after Pulwama,” he said, referring to the terror attack.