India's ministry of external affairs has responded sharply to references to Jammu and Kashmir in the recent joint statement by China and Pakistan. “India's position is consistent and well-known to the concerned parties. The Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday.
“No other country has the locus standi to comment on the same,” he added.
“As regards the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, some of which are in India's sovereign territory, we resolutely oppose and reject any moves by other countries to reinforce or legitimise Pakistan's illegal and forcible occupation of these territories, impinging on India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. This has been clearly conveyed to Pakistani and Chinese authorities several times,” he further said.
“We have also seen references to the so-called 'trans-boundary water resources cooperation' between China and Pakistan,” the MEA statement further read, “As the two countries do not share any boundary, the question of so-called 'trans-boundary water resources cooperation' does not arise. India has never recognised the so-called 1963 boundary agreement between Pakistan and China.”
What it means
It must be noted here that the references to J&K and “trans-boundary water resources” in the joint statement indicate that Beijing wants to play the Kashmir card along with a water resources card to appease its all-weather ally in Islamabad.
{{/usCountry}}It must be noted here that the references to J&K and “trans-boundary water resources” in the joint statement indicate that Beijing wants to play the Kashmir card along with a water resources card to appease its all-weather ally in Islamabad.
{{/usCountry}}In the joint statement, Pakistan was anyhow again forced to reiterate that it is committed to the ‘One China Policy’ which says Taiwan is part of China. It is typical of Beijing to get all high-profile visitors from other countries to repeat the One China Policy and its Taiwan claim.
The statement further makes it clear again that China will not yield an inch towards India when it comes to appeasing Pakistan, widely considered its supplicant.
Reasons for the references are evident as Beijing also wants Islamabad to allow Gwadar to function as a Chinese naval base in the North Arabian Sea, on the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
India, on its part, has again reiterated its opposition to the illegal China-Pakistan economic corridor and the fact that Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km territory in the Shaksgam Valley to China in 1963.
What Pak-China statement said
The joint statement by Pakistan and China was issued on Tuesday at the end of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's official visit to China from May 23-26. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang separately held talks with PM Shehbaz, and the two sides said they had reached a new broad consensus on further deepening the China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
Shehbaz also attended the ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The statement said the Pakistani side briefed the Chinese side on the latest developments on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. China said the issue should be resolved in accordance with the UN Charter.
The two sides also expressed readiness to conduct “trans-boundary water resources cooperation”, without specifying details of the collaboration as the rivers between China and Pakistan pass through Indian territory.