Monday, October 17, 2016
By
Web Desk

China defends Pakistan after Modi’s ‘mothership of terrorism’ comment

By
Web Desk
|

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomacy on Sunday blew in his face when he failed to muster the support of BRICS leaders to include Pakistan in the five-nation bloc’s declaration as a terrorist state.

In their joint statement, the BRICS leaders condemned recent attacks against some of its members “including that in India” but made no mention of Pakistan.

China sprang to long-time ally Pakistan's defence on Monday after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi branded Pakistan a "mothership of terrorism" at the summit of BRICS nations.

Modi's remarks to a meeting of leaders from BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - escalated his diplomatic drive to isolate Pakistan.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have been running high since a Sept. 18 attack on an army base in Kashmir, near the disputed frontier with Pakistan, killed 19 Indian soldiers.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, asked  about Modi's comments, said China opposed all forms of terrorism and that the international community should increase counter-terrorism cooperation.

"We also oppose the linking of terrorism to any specific country, ethnicity or religion. This is China´s consistent position," she told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

"Everyone knows that India and Pakistan are victims of terrorism. Pakistan has made huge efforts and great sacrifices in fighting terrorism. I think the international community should respect this," Hua added.

China and Pakistan consider each other "all-weather friends" and have close diplomatic, economic and security ties. On Sunday the two neighbours celebrated 65 years of diplomatic relations, with a colorful ceremony held in Islamabad to mark the occasion. Paying tribute to Pakistan-China friendship, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid had said during the ceremony that the friendship between the two neighbours was “deeper than the deepest oceans”.