China has slammed India for according Ladakh the Union Territory staus and urged New Delhi and Islamabad to exercise restraint following cross-border shelling and India’s decision to revoke special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Asked to comment on reports that India had announced the establishment of “Ladakh central territory,” which covers territory of the western section of India’s border with China, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chuying said in Beijing: “China has always opposed the Indian side’s entry of the Chinese territory in the western section of the Sino-Indian border into the administrative jurisdiction of India.”
She stated: “This position is firm and consistent and has never changed. Recently, the Indian side has continued to damage China’s territorial sovereignty by unilaterally modifying the form of domestic law. This practice is unacceptable and will not have any effect.”
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The foreign ministry urged India “to be cautious on the border issue, strictly abide by the relevant agreements reached between the two sides, and avoid taking actions that further complicate the border issue.”
On cross-border shelling by Indian and Pakistani forces as well as India’s decision to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Ms. Hua counselled the “parties concerned” to “exercise restraint and act with caution, especially to avoid actions that unilaterally change the status quo and exacerbate the tension”.
She said, “China is seriously concerned about the current situation in Kashmir.”
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The foreign ministry stuck to its position that the Kashmir issue “is a legacy of history between India and Pakistan, which is also the consensus of the international community”.
Ms. Hua called upon “the two sides to peacefully resolve relevant disputes through dialogue and consultation and safeguard regional peace and stability”.