G20 Meeting In Srinagar: China To Skip Tourism Working Group Meeting; Calls J-K 'Disputed Territory'

India is all set to host the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir from May 22 to May 24.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 20 May 2023 1:48 am

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Right ahead of the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar, China on Friday said it will not attend the meeting in Jammu & Kashmir next week.

While making the announcement, China asserted that it is “firmly opposed” to holding such meetings in the "disputed territory".

China is a close ally of Pakistan.

India is all set host the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir from May 22 to May 24.

What did Chinese foreign ministry say?

“China firmly opposes holding any form of G20 meetings on disputed territory”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here in response to a question.

“We will not attend such meetings,” he added.

Kashmir references by China and Pakistan

Islamabad and Beijing have previously made unwarranted references to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

India has previously rejected the statements from Beijing and Islamabad on Jammu & Kashmir.

"We have consistently rejected such statements and all parties concerned are well aware of our clear position on these matters. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh are and always will be integral and inalienable parts of India. No other country has a locus standi to comment on the same," the Ministry of External Affairs has commented before on comments by Pakistan and China.

India and China are also locked in a lingering border standoff in eastern Ladakh for three years.

The bilateral relationship came under severe strain following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June 2020.

India has maintained that the bilateral relationship cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border area.

The G20 meeting in Srinagar is a "big opportunity" for Jammu & Kashmir to showcase its true potential, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

Singh said such an international event taking place in Srinagar would send a positive message in the country and across the globe.

(With PTI Inputs)