KARACHI: Days after Chinese daily Global Times published a column highlighting Beijing’s ‘vested interest’ in settlement of the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, China’s foreign ministry clarified that it would continue to adhere to a policy of non-interference on the issue, Dawn.com repor­ted on Thursday quoting IANS.

According to the column, due to massive investments made in the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative, China has a “vested interest in helping resolve regional conflicts, including the dispute over Kashmir between India and Pakistan”.

The column said that while China had always “adhered to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries,” it can no longer turn a “deaf ear to the demands of Chinese enterprises in protecting their overseas investments”.

The Chinese foreign ministry in a statement emailed to IANS was quoted as saying, “China’s position on the issue of Kashmir is clear and consistent. It is an issue left over from history between India and Pakistan and shall be properly addressed by India and Pakistan through consultation and negotiation.”

The statement added that building of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor had no bearing on Beijing’s stance on the matter, and urged Pakistan and India to “properly handle differences by increasing communication and dialogue, and jointly upholding regional peace and stability”. However, it added, Beijing is “willing to make constructive efforts for the improvement of India-Pakistan relations”.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2017