The PRC and the Kashmir Issue
The article analyzes the position of China on the Kashmir issue in 2019, which is one of the main in tensions between the Indian and Pakistan, starting in the late 40s of the twentieth century. The Kashmir crisis of 2019 went through three stages in succession: the mini-military conflict in February 2019, the abolition by the Indian Parliament of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and the struggle of India and Pakistan to include the Kashmir issue on the UN Security Council agenda for the first time in sixty five years. Beijing’s position on the Kashmir issue of 2019 aims to protect China’s national interests. The history of Sino-Indian relations includes several border conflicts in the past. Thus, Beijing, while stating that India and Pakistan will not take unilateral actions in the Kashmir crisis in 2019, warns India about its illegitimate border claims to China. This explains two approaches of China on the Kashmir issue in 2019: state and diplomatic - the tacit position of President Xi Jinping and harsh criticism by the Chinese Foreign Ministry of the actions of India in Kashmir. The confrontation of India, on the one hand, and Pakistan and China, on the other, continued at other international venues. for example, China has again blocked India’s US-supported bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group. India insists on the recognition of Pakistan as a sponsor state of terrorism, for example, in the Financial Action Task Force. The Kashmir crisis developed against the backdrop of increased confrontation between China and the United States in the Pacific.