After blocking terrorist tag for Masood Azhar, China to hold talks with Pakistan

The simmering tension between India and Pakistan will figure in the first Sino-Pakistani strategic dialogue between the two foreign ministers to be held in Beijing on Tuesday. Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi reached Beijing on Monday to attend the first dialogues under the new mechanism in the backdrop of the tension with India following the Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir in February and subsequent engagement between the two air forces over the Line of Control (LoC). The visit comes days after Beijing – for the fourth time – blocking an international bid at the UN Security Council to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e Mohammed (JeM) chief, Masood Azhar as a global terrorist after the JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack. “I believe the issues causing regional tensions will be discussed,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang said at the regular ministry briefing on Monday. “As neighbour, China would like to see easing of tensions between the two. We would like to see the two countries continue to engage in dialogue for the peace and stability of the region,” Geng added. To a query whether Azhar’s listing will figure in the talks in the context of Chinese envoy to India Luo Zhaohui saying it would be resolved, Geng said that he could not prejudge the topics of the talks. “But they will discuss issues of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual concern,” he said. On Azhar’s listing, he said: “China will continue to deal with the issue with a responsible and constructive manner and will maintain close communication with all parties, including India and Pakistan.” Qureshi will discuss the whole gamut of bilateral relations with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, with focus on the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of President Xi Jinping’s massive connectivity mission, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). According to an official statement issued in Islamabad, Qureshi’s visit will add momentum to close and broad-based bilateral ties and reinforce efforts to deepen economic engagement under the CPEC. Qureshi will address the Political Parties Forum on the CPEC and participate in the ruling parties’ dialogue between the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the Communist Party of China. The status of India-Pakistan ties is expected to figure prominently in the talks. In fact, Qureshi and Wang had at least two telephonic conversations at the end of February when the Indian and Pakistani air forces had engaged with each other and there was fear of the situation escalating. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, Chinese foreign minister, Wang had told Qureshi during the phone call. Wang had “…stressed that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement. The statement quoted Wang, who is also a state councillor, as saying “…China is unwilling to see acts that violate the norms of international relations”. The conversation took place against the backdrop of Pakistan violating Indian airspace on February 27. New Delhi had then described the violation as an unsuccessful attempt to target military installations. A combat air patrol team of the Indian Air Force had foiled the attempt and shot down a Pakistani F-16. One IAF fighter, a MiG 21 Bison, was also shot down. Earlier this month, China had sent vice-foreign minister, Kong Xuanyou, to Islamabad to discuss the tension in India-Pakistan ties. “His visit is designed for communication with Pakistan regarding the situation concerning both India and Pakistan. China has been promoting peace and stability in this region. We hope that Pakistan and India will maintain friendly relations,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Lu Kang had said. During Qureshi’s meetings here, the CPEC too will be under sharp focus. The Pakistani military and the new government in Islamabad had last year assured China of the security and development of the CPEC. During a visit to Beijing last year, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had told the Vice-Chairman of China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) General Zhang Youxia, Bajwa that Pakistan will continue to cooperate with China in the “…areas of counter-terrorism, equipment technology, and personnel training to ensure the safe and smooth development of the CPEC”. Bajwa had also held talks with Chinese counterpart General Han Weiguo on Tuesday on the security of the $ multi-billion CPEC, defence cooperation as well as regional and bilateral issues. The Pakistani military and its new government are consistent in their policy towards China,” Bajwa was quoted as telling Zhang, adding: “the friendship between Pakistan and China is “higher than mountains and deeper than oceans.” Source: Hindustan Times