New Delhi: A day after the Supreme Court of India validated the dilution of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional autonomy, China reiterated its position that the issue had to be resolved as per UN Security Council resolutions and that there has to be a dialogue between the “parties concerned”.
On Monday, the Supreme Court upheld the Indian government’s 2019 decision to ‘read down’ Article 370 of the constitution which removed Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy. The Indian government had also bifurcated the state and turned the two new entities into union territories.
In answer to a question about the SC order, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that China’s position on Kashmir has been “consistent and clear-cut”.
“The Kashmir issue, left from the past, needs to be resolved peacefully and appropriately in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and relevant bilateral agreement. Parties concerned need to settle the dispute through dialogue and consultation so as to maintain regional peace and stability,” she said at the daily media briefing on Tuesday.
Ever since India and Pakistan signed the Shimla agreement, New Delhi has refused to accept a role for the United Nations or any third party in Kashmir, asserting that it is solely a bilateral matter.
In 2019, China termed the “reorganisation” of the Jammu and Kashmir state as “unacceptable”, referring to the separation of Ladakh into a union territory.
During the parliamentary debate on the constitutional amendment Bill, home minister Amit Shah said that both Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Aksai Chin are an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir.
Over the next year, China convened at least three closed meetings of the UN Security Council to discuss India’s revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
In April-May 2020, Chinese troops amassed at multiple points in eastern Ladakh and went beyond the traditional patrolling points. There were several clashes, which culminated in intense hand-to-hand fighting at Galwan Valley, which killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops.
After multiple rounds of talks, India and China have de-escalated at multiple friction points, but have not been able to reach any resolution on two strategic stand-off points.
India has not mentioned Aksai Chin in any public statements in recent years.
Earlier, Pakistan had rejected the Supreme Court’s ruling, stating that it doesn’t recognise the supremacy of the Indian constitution over Kashmir.