India objects to China’s Kashmir reference at UN

‘Beijing trying to change status quo in PoK’ India reiterated that the entire region is an integral part of the country and all nations should respect its sovereignty

India has taken strong exception to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s statement that Kashmir dispute should be peacefully and properly addressed in accordance with the United Nations Charter, UN Security Council resolutions and the bilateral agreement. In a curt response, India accused China of trying to illegally change the status quo of Pakistan occupied Kashmir through China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

India reiterated that the entire region is an integral part of the country and all nations should respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Indian response came after the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s comment: “Kashmir issue is a dispute left from the past and it should be peacefully and properly addressed in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement.”

The Chinese minister also said that no actions should be taken that would unilaterally change the “status quo” of the area.

Responding to the Chinese statement, India underlined that the recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter of India.

“We have seen a reference made by China’s foreign minister to Jammu&Kashmir and Ladakh, in his statement to the UN General Assembly. The Chinese side is well aware of India’s position that Jammu&Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India, and that the recent developments are internal matter. We expect that other countries will respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and desist from efforts to change the status quo through the illegal socalled China Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan occupied Kashmir,” said Mr Raveesh Kumar, official spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs.

India has constantly opposed China’s involvement in the PoK and refused to join the Chinese Belt Road Initiative (BRI) as it crossed the illegally controlled PoK. Ever since India scrapped Article 370 in Jammu&Kashmir, both Pakistan and China are desperately trying to internationalise the issue.

The $60 billion connectivity project passes through Baluchistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh in Pakistan connecting it to Xinjiang in China. It also links Gwadar port in Pakistan to Kashgar in China.