China has stirred up tensions with India by repeating its baseless claims over Shaksgam Valley in Jammu and Kashmir. It emphasized that the infrastructure projects in the area are acceptable. This statement came just days after Delhi criticized Beijing’s projects, declaring its right to take necessary steps to protect its interests, as the territory belongs to India.
About Shaksgam Valley
Shaksgam Valley, also known as the Trans Karakoram Tract, is situated in a sensitive area near China’s Xinjiang province. It lies north of the Karakoram range, close to the disputed Siachen and Aksai Chin areas. This region is part of the Hunza-Gilgit area of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).
In 1963, Pakistan improperly transferred 5,180 square kilometers of Indian land in Shaksgam Valley to China through the Sino-Pakistan Border Agreement. New Delhi has strongly rejected this act, calling it unlawful and asserting its rightful claim to the territory.
China’s Claims
When asked about India’s stance on Shaksgam Valley, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a media briefing in Beijing that “first of all, the territory you mentioned is part of China’s territory.”
“China’s infrastructure activities in its own territory are acceptable,” she added while answering a question regarding India’s criticism.
Mao referred to the agreement with Islamabad, claiming China and Pakistan have established a border agreement and defined their border since the 1960s. “These are the rights of Pakistan and China as sovereign states,” she said.
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