• Nawaz Sharif and Li Keqiang

Nawaz Sharif and Li Keqiang (Photo : Xinhua)

China gave a full throated endorsement of its friendship with Pakistan amid the ongoing Kashmir crisis, saying both countries are "iron brothers" and that it attaches great importance to Islamabad's position on Kashmir.

Beijing's slap to India's face was made by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang who met with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif before the latter's speech at the UN General Assembly where he demanded an independent probe into what he called "the extra-judicial killings" and "atrocities" in Indian-administered Kashmir committed by Indian troops.

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LI made no mention of the attack on the Indian Army at the town of Uri in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 18 Indian Army soldiers. Instead, the Chinese premier said China and Pakistan's have always firmly supported each other and their friendship is unbreakable, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency, the communist government's official media organization.

Xinhua also said Sharif told Li Pakistan and China are time-tested friends and partners who have firmly supported each other. He was also reported as thanking China for expressing concern regarding Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir.

For his part, Li said China was ready to play a constructive role in improvement of relations between Pakistan and India.

Pakistani media was loaded with stories of Li assuring Sharif China would continue to support Pakistan's stance on Kashmir. Li was also quoted by one paper as saying "We support Pakistan and we will speak for Pakistan at every forum."

Another said China attached great importance to Pakistan's position on Kashmir and said "Pakistan itself was a victim of terrorism."

Indian media, however, claims Li made none of those statements since Xinhua made no mention of any of any of them in the news stories it published about the Li and Sharif meeting.

What does seem certain is that Li showed his satisfaction on the state of China-Pakistan relations while expressing the hope the situation between India and Pakistan won't escalate. Li also hoped there would be a better understanding of the Pakistani position on Kashmir by the international community.

Xinhua and other Chinese official media also made no mention of the Uri attack.