China reiterated that India and Pakistan should move forward for early settlement of Kashmir issue through peaceful means.
In a news briefing here on Monday, Chinese Foreign Affairs Counsellor Yao Wen said Kashmir issue led to casualties both in Pakistan and India. ‘China does not like tense relation between these two countries’. He hoped that the region could see stability and peace, settling bilateral disputes through talks and peaceful means. Peace and stability in the region was important for Pakistan and India, he emphasised.
Yao Wen said both China and international community wished a peaceful solution of Kashmir issue. Any conflict between the two countries would detrimental to peace in the entire region. ‘We believe Pakistan and India have the capabilities to resolve Kashmir issue’. About the India and China, Wen said recently there were some ups and downs in their relations hips. Being big countries sometimes there were some disagreements between two.
He hoped India would appreciate China’s development. India should respect Chinese interests, he emphasised. Commenting on Afghan issue, Yao Wen said China has made its due contribution to bring Afghan government and Taliban on negotiating table. ‘Political negotiation is the only solution of the problem. He hoped relevant parties linked to Afghanistan will sit together to have talks.
China is prepared to play a constructive role in Afghanistan.
To a question, Yao Wen China was glad to see fast execution of CPEC, a flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative. He hoped India would also join BRI. ‘It is important that India too becomes a part of this project’. “Actually India has expressed their concerns on CPEC because India believes that it passes through a territory which India claims as its own but CPEC is about economic cooperation and one important project is the road between China and Pakistan which is named as Karakoram Highway.
‘We are ready to have in-depth communication with Indian side to address their relevant concerns but we still have to advance the work on CPEC. We hope India could understand China’s position and will join BRI.
“We hope Asian countries can get maximum benefits through BRI especially through connectivity projects. We want to develop better infrastructure in Asian countries”, he insisted.
‘China and Asian countries are connected directly so peace and stability in the region is our top priority. To maintain peace in Asia is our important task’ he added.
He said Korean Peninsula, Afghan conflict and Kashmir conflict were hot issues. ‘These are long standing issues. We are ready to work with relevant countries to manage these issues and for resolution so that these may not effect peace and stability in the region.