China and Pakistan signed a border agreement in the 1960s and the two countries had demarcated their borders, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said
International Reporter, Daily Dawn, Dawn TV Report
Beijing: China has rejected the Indian Foreign Ministry’s claim regarding the Shaksgam Valley in Kashmir, saying that Shaksgam is Chinese territory.
During a press conference, when the Press Trust of India inquired about Indian criticism of China’s infrastructure projects in the Shaksgam Valley, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that China has the full right to undertake construction activities on its own territory.
She said that the area being mentioned is part of China.
It should be noted that the Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson had said on Friday that the Shaksgam Valley is Indian territory and New Delhi reserves the right to take necessary measures to protect its interests.
She had said in a press conference that India has never recognized the so-called China-Pakistan Border Agreement of 1963 and considers it illegal and null and void.
The Indian spokesperson also said that New Delhi does not recognize the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor either.
He stated that all the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India, and this position has been clearly conveyed to the Pakistani and Chinese authorities on multiple occasions.
He added that India has been continuously protesting against Chinese attempts to change the ground realities in the Shaksgam Valley.
Chinese spokesperson Mao Ning, in response to the Indian position, said that China and Pakistan had signed a border agreement in the 1960s and both countries had demarcated their borders, which is the right of sovereign states.
He said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is an economic cooperation project aimed at local socio-economic development and improving the living standards of the people.
According to Mao Ning, the China-Pakistan Border Agreement and CPEC do not affect China’s position on the Kashmir issue, and China’s position in this regard remains unchanged.
It should be remembered that India and China have long had border disputes, but in 2024, the two countries signed a landmark agreement to reduce military tensions on the Himalayan border, where 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed during a clash in 2020.
After the 2024 agreement, the two countries took steps to improve relations, including the restoration of direct flights and increased investment and trade.
Nevertheless, disputes persist between China and India over various areas, including Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing calls Zhongnan and considers part of southern Tibet, while India has consistently rejected these claims.
Beijing’s renaming of places in this northeastern Himalayan state has also drawn strong reactions from New Delhi.
Leave a Reply