China rejects Indian opposition over infrastructure activity in Shaksgam valley, criticism on CPEC

BEIJING, Jan 12 (APP): China on Monday firmly rejected India’s opposition over infrastructure activity in Shaksgam valley and New Delhi’s criticism on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) flagship project.

“First of all, the territory you have mentioned is part of China’s territory and China’s infrastructure development activities in its own territory is beyond reproach,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in response to a question during her regular briefing.

Mao Ning said that China and Pakistan have signed border agreement and determined the border between the two countries in 1960s. These are rights of China and Pakistan as sovereign states.

And CPEC as an economic cooperation initiative aims to promote local socioeconomic development and improve livelihoods. Such agreements and CPEC will not affect China’s position on Kashmir and China’s position will remain unchanged, she added.

At a media briefing last Friday, India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson opposed China’s infrastructure development projects in the Shaksgam Valley.

He also criticized the China-Pakistan ‘boundary agreement’ signed in 1963 and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

APP/asg