China reasserts claim over Shaksgam Valley amid India’s objections
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China on Monday reaffirmed its claim over the Shaksgam Valley, stating that infrastructure projects undertaken by its government in the region were legitimate, PTI reported.
The response followed India’s assertion that it reserved the right to take steps to protect its interests in the area, which New Delhi maintains is part of Indian territory. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that India had consistently held this position.
The Shaksgam Valley is a disputed region that was historically part of Jammu and Kashmir and was transferred by Pakistan to China under a 1963 agreement that India does not recognise. India has repeatedly objected to Chinese infrastructure activity in the area.
Jaiswal said India had never accepted the China-Pakistan boundary agreement, calling it illegal and invalid. He added that New Delhi also did not recognise the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which passes through territory India considers to be under Pakistan’s illegal occupation.
He further stated that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were integral parts of India and said this stance had been conveyed to both Pakistan and China on multiple occasions. India, he added, continued to reserve the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests, Free Press Journal reported.
Responding to India’s remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press briefing in Beijing that the area mentioned by New Delhi fell within Chinese territory. She said China’s infrastructure activities there were being carried out within its own borders.
Mao said China and Pakistan had signed an agreement in the 1960s that determined the boundary between the two countries, adding that such agreements reflected the sovereign rights of both states. She also described the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as an economic initiative aimed at promoting local development and improving livelihoods.
She added that the boundary agreement and the CPEC did not affect China’s position on the Kashmir issue, reiterating Beijing’s view that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute should be resolved peacefully in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements.