Foreign Minister S Jaishankar today sent out a crucial message to China, which recently expressed its strong disapproval of the government's Kashmir move, especially the creation of a separate Union Territory of Ladakh. India had brushed away China's remarks, saying all the changes made were "internal matters". Today, at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing, Mr Jaishankar said, "The two nations should ensure that it was important that differences between us, if any, should not become disputes".

India-China relationship, Mr Jaishankar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, has a "unique place" in global politics. "Two years ago, our leaders recognised that reality and reached a consensus in Astana that at a time of global uncertainty India-China relationship should be a factor of stability," he said.

Last week, after the government's move to end the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate it into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, China voiced its "serious concern".

Beijing asked India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and said the two nations should avoid actions that "unilaterally" change the status quo and "exacerbate tensions".

China also expressed its opposition to India's move to create a separate Union Territory of Ladakh.

India said the decisions on Kashmir were "an internal matter concerning the territory of India".

"India does not comment on the internal affairs of other countries and similarly expects other countries to do likewise," the foreign ministry said.

Pointing to Mr Jaishankar's tenure as India's ambassador to China, Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi said for many years, he has made "positive and active contribution to China-India relations".