China calls on India, Pak to exercise restraint

AS PAKISTAN’S special envoys met the Chinese leadership to lobby for their viewpoint on Kashmir, China on Friday expressed concern over the “continuous confrontation and tensions” between India and Pakistan, and called on both parties to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that can escalate tensions.

“As a shared neighbour and friend to both India and Pakistan, we are concerned about continuous confrontation and tensions between India and Pakistan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Sheung told reporters.

“We call on all relevant parties to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that would escalate tension,” he said, replying to a question on the “surgical strikes” on launch pads of the terrorists. He said China hopes that both parties would address their differences through dialogue.

“Since there have been tensions between India and Pakistan, China has been in communicationwithboththecountriestoexercise restraint, enhance communication and properly resolve differences,” he said.

In a statement released by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, Islamabad said special envoys of Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, parliamentarians Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar and Alam Dad Laleka, arrived in Beijing Thursday. “They are visiting China on the instructions of the Prime Minister to apprise the Chinese government of the deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir. They met Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. They also held a meeting with Mr. Cai Wu, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of CPPCC,” said the statement.

The statement added that the special envoys had, in their meetings with Chinese leaders, “explained that situation in Kashmir was deteriorating fast and required urgent attention of the international community”.

According to the statement, the Chinese side “expressed its concern over the situation in Kashmir”. “They said that China gives great importance to Pakistan’s position. Kashmir dispute is a left over issue from history which needs to be resolved through dialogue and negotiations,” it said.

On Thursday, before the news of India’s “surgical strikes” broke, Geng said China was in touch with India and Pakistan through various channels to bring down their tensions.