China will not attend a regional security dialogue in New Delhi: spokesman

BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Tuesday said  China will not attend a regional security dialogue on Afghanistan to be hosted by India.

"Due to scheduling reasons, it is inconvenient for China to attend the meeting. We have already given our reply to the Indian side," Wang said, during his regular briefing while responding to a question about whether China has declined to attend the dialogue.

Last month, India had invited Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, and all the central Asian nations to attend the "Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan", scheduled for November 10.

However, Pakistan's National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf turned down the invitation to the moot.

"I will not go. A spoiler can't be a peacemaker," Yusuf said in response to a question by a reporter about whether Pakistan will be attending.