China reiterates claim over Shaksgam valley, rejects India’s objections

Beijing: China has once again asserted that the Shaksgam Valley is part of its territory and defended the infrastructure projects being carried out in the region, dismissing India’s objections as unwarranted. The statement comes days after India formally protested against China’s development activities in the strategically sensitive area.

India had objected on Friday to infrastructure projects undertaken by China in the Shaksgam Valley, stating that the region belongs to India and that New Delhi reserves the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its interests. The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that the valley is part of Indian territory that was illegally ceded to China by Pakistan in 1963.

The Shaksgam Valley, covering an area of about 5,180 square kilometres, was part of the territory under illegal occupation of Pakistan, which Islamabad handed over to China under the so-called China–Pakistan Boundary Agreement. India has consistently maintained that the agreement is illegal and invalid, as Pakistan had no authority to transfer Indian territory.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had stated that India has never accepted or recognised the 1963 China–Pakistan boundary agreement. He also reiterated India’s opposition to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, which passes through Indian territory under Pakistan’s illegal occupation.

Responding to these remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning rejected India’s claims and asserted that the area in question falls within China’s territorial boundaries. She said China has carried out infrastructure development activities within its own territory and that the boundary between China and Pakistan was determined through an agreement signed in the 1960s.

Mao Ning further stated that the projects in the region are aimed at promoting economic and social development and improving the livelihood of local people. She emphasised that China’s cooperation with Pakistan, including infrastructure initiatives, is based on mutual agreement and longstanding bilateral understanding.

The renewed exchange of statements highlights the continuing differences between India and China over territorial issues linked to Pakistan-occupied regions. While India has repeatedly raised concerns over Chinese projects in areas it considers its own, China has consistently rejected these objections, citing its agreements with Pakistan.

The issue also underscores the broader strategic tensions in the region, particularly in the context of China–Pakistan cooperation and India’s objections to projects linked to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. Diplomatic observers note that such statements are likely to keep bilateral relations strained, especially amid unresolved border disputes between India and China.