China tells US to tread `cautiously` over moving resolution against JeM chief Masood Azhar in UNSC

BEIJING: China has asked the United States tread “cautiously” and avoid “forcefully moving” a draft resolution at UNSC to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist on Wednesday.

"This is not in line with resolution of the issue through dialogue and negotiations. This has reduced the authority of the Committee as a main anti-terrorism body of the UNSC and this is not conducive to the solidarity and only complicates the issue,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing in Washington.

"We urge the US to act cautiously and avoid forcefully moving forward this resolution draft," Geng said.

Beijing's comment comes hours after the US, backed by France and Britain, circulated a draft resolution to the powerful 15-nation Council that can designate JeM leader Masood Azhar as an international terrorist under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council. 

China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, blocked the bid in the UN Security Council to designate Azhar as a "global terrorist" for the fourth time, saying it wanted "more time to examine" the proposal. 

JeM had claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack that claimed the lives of over 40 Indian soldiers.