NEW DELHI/BEIJING: China said on Friday that it is opposed to a G20 tourism meeting next week in the disputed Himalayan territory of Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and will not attend.

India, which holds the chair of G20 this year, has organised a series of meetings across the country in the run-up to the summit in New Delhi in September.

“China is firmly opposed to holding any kind of G20 meetings in disputed territory, and will not attend such meetings,”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. Ties between New Delhi and Beijing have been strained since a military clash in Ladakh in 2020 in which 24 soldiers were killed.

Occupied Srinagar will host a meeting of the tourism working group for G20 members on May 22-24.

India has countered the objection saying it is free to hold meetings on its own territory. It said on Friday peace and tranquillity on its border is essential for normal ties with China.—Reuters