China 'firmly opposes' India's move to bifurcate occupied Kashmir

BEIJING: China on Thursday took exception to India’s move of unilaterally changing the status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking at a news briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the Indian government officially announced the establishment of the so-called “Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir” and “Union Territory of Ladakh.”

“China deplores and firmly opposes this. India is challenging China’s sovereign rights and interests by unilaterally revising domestic law and administrative division. This is illegal, null and void,” he added.

“We urge India to respect China’s territorial sovereignty, abide by bilateral agreements, and safeguard the peace and tranquility in the border region with concrete actions to create conditions for a proper settlement of the border issue with China.”

The spokesperson said China’s position on the issue of Kashmir is consistent and clear.

“It is a dispute left over from history and should be resolved properly and peacefully in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant Security Council Resolutions and bilateral agreements,” he added.