- Jammu and Kashmir was formally bifurcated into 2 Union Territories on Thursday
- China has said the move is unlawful and affects its sovereignty
- India hit back saying China should stay of India’s internal matters
STAFF REPORTER / WEB DESK
China has objected to India’s decision of Jammu & Kashmir bifurcation and termed it as ‘unlawful’ and ‘void’ saying it was “not effective in any way” as the UTs of J&K and Ladakh include some of China’s territory. India has now hit back at China for trying to meddle in matters internal to India.
Jammu and Kashmir has been bifurcated into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. Making the statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang deplored the move saying it opposed it.
“The Indian government officially announced the establishment of so-called Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and Ladakh Union Territory that included some of China’s territory into its administrative jurisdiction. China deplores and firmly opposes that. India unilaterally changes its domestic laws and administrative divisions challenging China’s sovereignty,” said Geng Shuang.
Geng also urged India to respect Chinese territorial sovereignty and abide by treaties and uphold peace and tranquillity in the border areas so as to create favourable conditions for a proper settlement of boundary question.
“This development will not change that fact that the area is under Chinese actual control,” he further added.
Geng further termed the Kashmir issue as a dispute left from history and called for peaceful resolution of the matter based on the UN charter, the relevant UNSC resolutions and other bilateral treaties. He also called for the dispute to be resolved through dialogue and consultations so as to uphold regional peace and stability in the region.
Reacting on China’s statement, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that Beijing is well aware of India’s consistent and clear position on this issue, adding that the matter of reorganisation of the erstwhile state of J&K into UTs of J&K and Ladakh is entirely an internal affair of India.
Kumar further said that India expects other countries to respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“China continues to be in occupation of a large tract of the area in UTs of J-K,& Ladakh. It has illegally acquired Indian territories from PoK under so-called China-Pakistan boundary agreement of 1963,” he said.
Kumar said that India does not expect other countries, including China, to comment on the matters which are internal to India, just as India refrains from commenting on internal issues of other countries.
“UTs of J-K, & Ladakh are an integral part of India,” he said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his visit to China in August had informed his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and the sole prerogative of India. He also said that the decision to abrogate Article 370 has no implication for either the external boundaries of India or the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
China had backed ‘iron brother’ Pakistan and had called for an informal meeting of the UN Security Council. However, the informal UNSC meeting ended without passing a resolution or statement.