China objects to India’s assumption of direct rule over Ladakh, partly ruled by it

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Map of The Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. (Photo courtesy: mapsofindia)

(TibetanReview.net, Aug06’19) – China has on Aug 6 strongly objected to India’s decision to reorganize the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir as a territory to be separately ruled directly by New Delhi. China’s grouse is that Ladakh includes Aksai Chin which is controlled by Beijing but claimed by India.

China said India should avoid “unilateral actions” in J&K that could spark tensions in the region even as it described New Delhi’s decision to reorganise Ladakh as a union territory as “unacceptable”, reported hindustantimes.com Aug 6.

The Chinese reaction came a day after the BJP-led Indian government stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and bifurcated the state into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh.

India swiftly rejected the Chinese criticism. India does not comment on the internal affairs of other countries and similarly expects other countries to do likewise, indianexpress.com Aug 6 quoted External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar as saying.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019 is an internal matter of India concerning its territory, the Ministry was cited as saying.

The Chinese foreign ministry had said “it opposes India’s inclusion of Chinese territory in the western section of the China-India boundary under its administrative jurisdiction.”

“This position is firm and consistent and has never changed. The recent unilateral revision of domestic laws by the Indian side continues to undermine China’s territorial sovereignty, which is unacceptable and will not have any effect,” the indianexpress.com report quoted the ministry as saying.

India revoked the special status of J&K by modifying Article 370 of its constitution, and decided to bifurcate the state into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh. While J&K will have a legislature, Ladakh will not. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament, on Aug 5.

China also asked India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid actions that “unilaterally” change the status quo and exacerbate tensions between the two countries.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has said his country was considering approaching the United Nations Security Council against India’s move. “We will fight it at every forum. We’re thinking how we can take it to International Court (of Justice)… to the United Nations Security Council,” Khan was quoted as saying in an address to Pakistan’s parliament on Aug 5.

UN chief Antonio Guterres too has said Aug 6 that he was following “with concern” the tense situation in the India-Pakistan region and urged all parties to exercise restraint.

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