China backs Trump’s mediation offer on Kashmir issue

BEIJING: While backing the US President Donald Trump’s mediation offer to help resolve the Kashmir issue, China said it supported the international community including the United States in playing a constructive role in improving Pakistan-India relations through dialogue.

“We support the international community, the US included, in playing a constructive role in improving Pakistan-India relations through dialogue,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement issued here.

“We hope the two countries can peacefully settle the Kashmir issue and other bilateral disputes through dialogue, and make concerted efforts to safeguard peace and stability in South Asia,” she added.

President Trump on Monday offered his services to mediate between the South Asian rivals on the simmering issue of Kashmir.

Sitting alongside the prime minister at the White House, he announced that Indian Prime Minister Modi had asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue and said he was willing to do so if PM Khan agreed to it.

The statement angered India which categorically denied that Modi said this to Trump.