New Delhi, October 9: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a strongly-worded response after reports said that Kashmir was a "key point of discussion" in the bilateral meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese President Xi Jinping. New Delhi marked its apprehension over the neighbouring nations holding discussion over a matter which falls under the sovereign rights of India. Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa Visits China, Discusses Kashmir Issue With Top PLA Officials.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Beijing should abstain from commenting on issues which are integral to India, adding that it is not in the best interest of the deepening Sino-Indian ties.

"We have seen the report regarding meeting of Chinese President Xi Jinping with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan which also refers to their discussions on Kashmir," Kumar said.

"India’s position has been consistent and clear that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India. China is well aware of our position. It is not for other countries to comment on the internal affairs of India," he added.

Update by ANI:

The MEA response came hours after a Reuters report quoted Pakistani officials as claiming that Xi Jinping validated Imran Khan's concerns over Kashmir. The Chinese premiere, the report claimed, said that he is "watching the situation in Kashmir" and will be completely backing the core interests of its ally Islamabad.

Notably, Khan along with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is on a bilateral visit to China. The visit comes in the backdrop of Jinping's upcoming visit to India, scheduled on October 11-12. The Chinese President will be holding talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the southern port city of Chennai.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2019 07:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).