China will not attend the regional security dialogue on Afghanistan to be hosted by India, reported media on Tuesday, a development that comes after Pakistan had also turned down New Delhi's invitation to attend the meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs).
Citing scheduling reasons, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that it was "inconvenient" for Beijing to join the moot scheduled to be held on November 10.
"We have already given our reply to the Indian side,” Wang added during his weekly press briefing.
Last month, India invited Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, and all the central Asian nations to attend the ‘Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan’. The dialogue will be chaired by India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have confirmed their participation.
According to a report by the Times of India, the Indian government is refraining from clubbing the two refusals, but, citing its sources, said that China’s response may be due to Pakistan.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs says the "high-level dialogue will review and deliberate upon measures to address relevant security challenges and support the people of Afghanistan in promoting peace, security and stability".
Last week, Pakistan had declined India’s invitation by saying that “a spoiler cannot become a peacemaker” in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's NSA Dr Moeed Yusuf was asked whether Pakistan accepted India's invitation to attend the conference. "I will not go. A spoiler cannot play the role of peacemaker," he replied.
Yusuf said India was one of the major hurdles in achieving peace and stability in the region.
He regretted that the international community had turned a blind eye over human rights violations and Indian state-sponsored terrorism in Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“India has to make the situation in Kashmir better,” he said.
The NSA also warned that India’s expansionist approach was leading the region nowhere, but it would harm the whole region.
Pakistan, on Tuesday, turned down India’s invitation for attending a meeting of the regional countries National Security Advisers (NSAs) on Afghanistan, saying “a spoiler cannot be a peacemaker.”
The decision comes days after Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval extended an invitation to his Pakistani counterpart Dr Moeed Yusuf for attending the moot to be hosted by the former in New Delhi next week.
“No, I would not attend [the moot]. A spoiler cannot be a peacemaker,” said NSA Yusuf, while responding to a media query during a news briefing after Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed a Protocol on the Establishment of Joint Security Commission that was followed by the inaugural session of the commission.
From Pakistan, the protocol was signed by Yusuf, while Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan Lieutenant General Victor Makhmudov, who is on a three-day visit to Pakistan, signed the document on behalf of his country
In response to another question, Yusuf said India was one of the major hurdles in achieving peace and stability in the region.
He regretted that the international community had turned a blind eye over human rights violations and Indian state-sponsored terrorism in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“India has to make the situation in Kashmir better,” he said.
The NSA also warned that India’s expansionist approach was leading the region nowhere, but it would harm the whole region.
Referring to Afghanistan, he said Afghanistan was not an obstacle but an opportunity, adding if peace was restored in Afghanistan then it could become a major hub as a corridor of connectivity.
When his comments were sought on the recent statement by chairman China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority Khalid Mansoor that the US wanted to derail the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Yusuf said he had spoken with Mansoor and he had explained that he was quoted completely out of context.
“We have a clear stance that the world would do what it wanted to do, but Pakistan needs to ensure that its targets are met and the weaknesses are removed and strengths are further worked upon,” he added.
Responding to the critics, he said Western countries might have the luxury to disengage from Afghanistan but Pakistan did not have that option. He said Pakistan was criticised sometimes for being proactive in promoting engagement with Afghanistan, adding Pakistan had a valid reason as it would face the direct consequences of any situation in the neighbouring Afghanistan.