File photo of Chinese president Xi Jinping. (Reuters)

BEIJING: In what is being seen as a snub to the visiting Pakistan PM Imran Khan , China on Tuesday significantly modified its position on the Kashmir dispute by omitting its recent references to the UN charter and Security Council resolutions to the issue and stressing that New Delhi and Islamabad should take the bilateral route to resolve all disputes.

“We call on India and Pakistan to engage in dialogue and consultation on all issues, including the Kashmir issue, and consolidate mutual trust. This is in line with interest of both countries and common aspiration of the world,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Tuesday.

The statement, coming ahead of Chinese president Xi Jinping ’s visit to India, which is expected to take place between October 11 and 13, is a departure from the position that Beijing took when Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had visited China post-nullification of Articles 370 and 35A. Qureshi’s Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had then said: “It (Kashmir issue) should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement.” In fact, China had maintained that position at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Kashmir, which ended without any outcome.

However, on Tuesday, China indicated that it was ready to go back to its pre-August 5 position when it had held that the Kashmir issue should be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan. The omission of references to the UN charter and Security Council resolutions particularly assume significance at a time when Imran Khan and Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa are in Beijing to meet Xi and other Chinese leaders. By changing its position, China seems to be in agreement with the Indian stand that there should be no third-party mediation on the Kashmir issue. “China’s position on Kashmir issue is clear and consistent,” Geng emphasized.

Explaining Beijing’s changed position, observers said supporting Pakistan’s position on Kashmir might make it difficult for Xi to make his India visit successful. Also, by changing its position, China is trying to soften Pakistan’s rhetoric on the Kashmir issue. Beijing’s show of neutrality comes in the midst of Pakistan asking China to take a tough stand against India on the Kashmir issue.

Meanwhile, Beijing has not yet formally announced Xi’s visit to India. It has called a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the President’s “outbound tour” where the announcement might be made. Referring to Modi’s visit to the Chinese city of Wuhan which hosted an informal summit between him and Xi, Geng said: “Both (India and China) are major developing countries of the world and major emerging markets. Since the Wuhan informal summit, our bilateral relations have gathered good momentum. We have been advancing our cooperation and properly managing our differences.”

“We have a tradition of high-level exchange and our two sides are maintaining communication on high-level exchange in the next phase. We should make a good atmosphere and environment for this,” he added.

Speaking about Imran Khan’s visit, Geng said, “We have a good tradition of close exchange and communication. We have strategic mutual trust and advancing practical cooperation. Our cooperation in the China-Pakistan Economic Cooperation (CPEC) is bringing more outcomes to our peoples.”

Imran Khan is visiting Beijing on a thinly veiled excuse of attending the closing ceremony of a horticultural exhibition. He is due to meet Xi, Chinese premier Li Keqiang and National People’s Congress chief Li Zhansu during his visit.

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