Chinese FM urges India, Pakistan to avoid escalating situation

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed on Saturday his hope that India and Pakistan will remain calm and restrained, properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, and avoid escalating the situation.

When talking to India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval over phone, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission, said China supports and expects India and Pakistan to achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire through consultation, which is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and meets the common aspiration of the international community.

Wang also said that China condemns the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam area and opposes all forms of terrorism.

Noting that the world is undergoing both transformation and upheaval, Wang said peace and stability in Asia are hard-won and deserve to be cherished, adding that India and Pakistan are neighbors that cannot be moved away, and that they are both neighbors of China.

Doval said the attacks in Pahalgam area caused serious casualties for the Indian side, adding that India needs to take counter-terrorism actions.

War is not the choice of the Indian side and is not in the interests of either side, he said, adding that both India and Pakistan will be committed to a ceasefire and look forward to restoring regional peace and stability as soon as possible. ■