Kashmir won't be major topic during Modi-Xi meet
September 18, 2019  00:00
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China on Tuesday said the Kashmir issue may not be a major topic of discussion during the planned second informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, notwithstanding the high voltage campaign by its close ally Pakistan over India revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Tension between India and Pakistan escalated after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status on August 5. Reacting to India's move on Kashmir, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.

A senior Chinese official said it should be left to Modi and Xi on the issues they would like to discuss.

"As for Kashmir will be on the agenda, I'm not sure because this is kind of informal summit and leaders' meeting I think better we need to give the leaders much time to discuss whatever they would like to discuss," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing.

"For this kind of informal summit, I think it is better to leave the leaders much time to discuss whatever they would like to discuss," she said.

Hua said Kashmir may not be a major topic of discuss between the two leaders.  

China, the all-weather ally of Pakistan, already tried to take the Kashmir issue to the UN Security Council last month. But a closed-door meeting of the UNSC, in a snub to both Beijing and Islamabad, ended without any outcome or statement.

-- PTI
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