'1963 Pakistan-China...agreement illegal': Army chief rejects Beijing's Shaksgam Valley claim
What's the story
Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has rejected China's claims over the Shaksgam Valley, calling a 1963 boundary agreement between Pakistan and China illegal. The agreement ceded territory in the valley to China, which India does not recognize. "We do not accept any activity there," General Dwivedi said, referring to both the agreement and ongoing infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The CPEC is a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure network connecting China's Xinjiang region with Pakistan's Gwadar port.
China's stance
China defends infrastructure projects in disputed territory
The remarks came after China defended its infrastructure projects in the Shaksgam Valley, asserting that it is justified to conduct such activities on its territory. "First of all, the territory you mentioned is part of China's territory," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said when asked about India's position on Shaksgam. She cited the 1960s boundary agreement as a legitimate arrangement between sovereign nations.
China
China's defense
"It's fully justified for China to conduct infrastructure construction on its own territory. China and Pakistan in the 1960s signed a boundary agreement and delimited the boundary between the two countries, which is the right of China and Pakistan as sovereign countries," Mao said. "The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as an economic cooperation initiative, aims at promoting local socio-economic development and improving people's livelihood," she added.
Pakistan
Pakistan illegally ceded Indian territory in Shaksgam Valley to China
Pakistan illegally handed over 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in the Shaksgam Valley to China in 1963 under the Sino-Pakistan Border Agreement. It had previously occupied the region during the invasion of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. India has maintained that Shaksgam Valley, like the rest of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), belongs to India and is occupied by Pakistan and China.
India's position
India reiterates Shaksgam Valley an integral part
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday called the 1963 agreement "illegal and invalid." He also said that India does not recognize the CPEC, which passes through Indian territory under illegal occupation by Pakistan. Jaiswal emphasized that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India. The MEA spokesperson also said that India reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests in the region.