India on Wednesday rejected Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s comments about Jammu and Kashmir made during a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Pakistan.
At the event in Islamabad, Wang said, “On Kashmir, we have heard again today the calls of many of our Islamic friends. And China shares the same hope.”
He also said that China would continue to support the people of Kashmir and Palestine in their “just freedom struggles”, The Times of India reported.
A statement by Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi named Wang, marking a departure and reflecting the fraught relationship between both the countries.
“Matters related to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are entirely the internal affairs of India,” the statement said. “Other countries, including China, have no locus standi to comment. They should note that India refrains from public judgement of their internal issues.”
Bagchi added that the Chinese foreign minister’s comments were “uncalled for”.
The developments came at a time when reports said that Wang is expected to come to New Delhi on Thursday evening. However, both India and China have not officially confirmed the visit yet. This would be the first highest level visit since border clashes along the Line of Actual Control strained ties two years ago.
Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the clash in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. China had put the number of casualties on its side at four.
At his annual press briefing on March 7, Wang had said that China and India should help each other achieve their goals, rather than “draining each other’s energies”.
Beijing has also reached out to New Delhi for the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa, or BRICS grouping summit, to be held later this year, The Indian Express reported.
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