Xi Jinping said India and Pakistan should resolve the Kashmir dispute via peaceful dialogue.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday he was watching the situation in Kashmir and would support Pakistan in issues related to its core interests, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi told Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during a meeting in Beijing that the right and wrong of the situation was clear, the report said.

Xi added that the parties should resolve the dispute via peaceful dialogue.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have risen sharply since August when the government scrapped special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.

Xi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai later this week for an informal summit.

"The forthcoming Chennai Informal Summit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to continue their discussions on overarching issues of bilateral, regional and global importance and to exchange views on deepening India-China Closer Development Partnership," the government said in a statement.

Ahead of Xi's trip to India, China invited Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for talks. China supports Pakistan in safeguarding its independent sovereignty and territorial integrity, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday as he met Imran Khan.