New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has condemned the references to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement issued by China and Pakistan. In response to media queries on references to Jammu & Kashmir in the China-Pakistan joint statement, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: "We have noted unwarranted references to the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir in the joint statement between China and Pakistan on June 7, 2024. We categorically reject such references. Our position on the issue is consistent and well-known to the parties concerned. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India. No other country has the locus standi to comment on the same.
The same joint statement also mentions activities and projects under the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), some of which are in India's sovereign territory under forcible and illegal occupation by Pakistan. We resolutely oppose and reject any moves by other countries to reinforce or legitimise Pakistan's illegal occupation of these territories, impinging on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."
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