*BEIJING – China has again lambasted India over it decision to bifurcatethe state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories. China termed theIndian decision as “unlawful and void”, saying New Delhi’s decision to“include” some of China’s territory into its administrative jurisdiction“challenged” Beijing’s sovereignty.*
New Delhi bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two unionterritories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh — in accordance with the Indiangovernment’s August 5 announcement revoking the state’s special statusunder Article 370.
China had earlier opposed the Indian government’s August 5 order of therevocation of Article 370 and the formation of Ladakh as Union Territory,saying that some of the area involved Chinese territory.
*“The Indian government officially announced the establishment of so-calledJammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories which included some ofChina’s territory into its administrative jurisdiction,” China’s ForeignMinistry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media here on Thursday.*
*“China deplores and firmly opposes that. India unilaterally changed itsdomestic laws and administrative division challenging China’s sovereignty,”he said replying to a question.*
Read Top Stories
“This is unlawful and void and this is not effective in any way and willnot change the fact that the area is under Chinese actual control,” he said.
*“China urges the Indian side to earnestly respect Chinese territorialsovereignty, abide by our treaties and uphold peace and tranquillity in theborder areas and create favourable conditions for proper settlement ofboundary question,” he said.*
On the Kashmir issue, Geng said, “China’s position on the Kashmir issue isconsistent and clear, this is a dispute left from history and it should beproperly and peacefully resolved based on the UN charter, the relevant UNSCresolutions and other bilateral treaties and relevant sides should resolvethe dispute through dialogue and consultations and uphold regional peaceand stability.”
