India fails to persuade China over its unilateral actions in Occupied Kashmir

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said Beijing was highly concerned over the current situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

In meeting with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who's in China  on a three-day visit, Wang Yi said New Delhi's move to end the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir will change the status quo of the disputed area and result in a tense situation in the region.

"China opposes any unilateral action that complicates the situation in the region," he added.

During the meeting, Wang Yi pointed out that India's recent measures also challenged China's sovereign rights and interests, contrary to the agreement between the two sides on safeguarding the border areas of the two countries.

"China is seriously concerned about this," he said, adding that Indian measures will not change the fact that China exercises sovereignty over the relevant territory.

The Chinese foreign minister expressed his hope that New Delhi will take measures to promote mutual trust, peace and tranquility, adding that New Delhi and Islamabad would resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner.

Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar explained the position of his country, saying the Indian constitutional amendment did not produce new sovereignty, or change the India-Pakistan ceasefire line, as well as the actual line of control, the India-China border.

The Indian side expressed hope for improvement in relations with Pakistan. The minister said that New Delhi was willing to exercise restraint and maintain regional peace and stability.

The Indian minister's visit comes amid growing tensions between India and Pakistan over occupied Kashmir.

Last week, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi paid an emergency visit to China and briefed Wang on Islamabad's stance over the prevailing situation.

Kashmir has been in a  lockdown for eight days as the Hindu nationalist government in New Delhi seeks to snuff out opposition to its move to impose tighter central control over the Muslim-majority region.  

Internet and phone communications have been cut and tens of thousands of troop reinforcements have flooded the main city of Srinagar and other towns and villages in the Kashmir Valley.

Recently, Indian troops clamped tight restrictions on mosques across Kashmir for Monday´s Eid-ul-Azha festival over protest fears.