SRINAGAR: Pakistan and China on Friday condemned the G20 meeting being held in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), with the latter backing out of the summit.
According to AFP, India is set to chair the three-day gathering, scheduled to start on May 22-24 in the Himalayan region. However, no Chinese delegates will be attending the event.
New Delhi and Beijing have been locked in a military standoff following a military clash in Ladakh which killed 24 soldiers. The latter also claims Arunachal Pradesh — an Indian state — in full and considers Kashmir a disputed territory.
"China firmly opposes holding any form of G20 meeting in disputed territory and will not attend such meetings," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters Friday.
Moreover, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are also likely to back out of the meeting.
India has planned over 100 meetings across the country, however, China has opted to not join events in both Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.
India revoked the special status of IIOJK on August 5, 2019. The Muslim-majority Kashmir has been disputed between Pakistan and India, with both claiming the region in full.
Pakistan, which is not a member of G20, said that India has violated international law, UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements by arranging a meeting in IIOJK.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that India is displaying its "arrogance to the world" and that "it shows their pettiness".
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