“On the Kashmir issue, we have heard the voices of many Islamic friends again today, and China has the same desire for this.”

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SRINAGAR — China has vowed to support Islamic nations in their efforts to resolve conflict — including disputes over Kashmir — consolidating its ties in the Middle East as US influence wanes, reports said on Wednesday.

The pledge from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi comes as China faces increasing pressure from Western nations — especially the US — to take a tougher stand against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, and as Washington’s ties with the Middle East face uncertainties, South China Morning Post reported.

“China will continue to support Islamic countries in using Islamic wisdom to solve contemporary hotspot issues, and firmly hold the right to maintaining stability and promoting peace in its own hands,” Wang told the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Tuesday.

China will promote the settlement of the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution, and support Afghanistan to build up an inclusive government, Wang said in his address, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

“On the Kashmir issue, we have heard the voices of many Islamic friends again today, and China has the same desire for this,” he was quoted as saying, referring to the long-standing dispute between India and Pakistan over the Himalayan region, without elaborating further.

India is expected to be the next stop on Wang’s tour of South Asia, with Nepal also on the list, though there has been no official confirmation as yet.

The OIC bills itself as the second-largest global organisation after the United Nations and has 57 members spread over four continents.

Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan, also mentioned Kashmir, while talking about the OIC’s role, said, “We have failed both the Palestinians and the people of Kashmir. I am sad to say that we have been able to make no impact at all.”

Wang’s attendance at the OIC meeting as a “special guest” underscores China’s increasing engagement with Islamic countries as it faces deepening Western suspicions over ties with “no-limits” strategic ally Russia and alleged human rights violations in its Xinjiang region, relating to the mainly Muslim Uygur minority community.