China Says It Does Not Recognise ‘Illegally Established’ Union Territory Of Ladakh

Sep 29, 2020

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin claimed that India had “illegally” established the UT of Ladakh and opposed infrastructure development on border areas.

New Delhi: A belligerent China on Tuesday again sought to provoke India amid the ongoing border dispute, saying that it does not recognise the union territory of Ladakh. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin claimed that India had “illegally” established the UT of Ladakh and opposed infrastructure development on border areas.

“China does not recognise the so-called union territory of Ladakh illegally established by India, and opposes infrastructure construction in disputed border areas for military control purposes,” spokesperson Wang said while commenting on India’s move to build roads along the border.

“According to the recent consensus reached between China and India, neither side should take any actions in border areas that would complicate the situation, so as not to affect the efforts of both sides to ease the situation,” Wang added, in comments posted by state-run Global Times on its Twitter handle.

It may be recalled that Ladakh used to be a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir till 2019. On August 5, last year, the Central government revoked the special status of J&K and bifurcated the state into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The bifurcation came into effect on October 31 (2019) – which India marks as National Unity Day.

The Chinese remarks came on a day when Indian Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, said that the prevailing situation along the Line of Actual Control was “uneasy”. According to the IAF chief, a “no war, no peace” status was prevailing along the northern border amid the ongoing standoff in eastern Ladakh.

He, however, assured that the Indian armed forces were prepared for any eventuality and that the IAF was resolved to counter “any misadventure”.

“Present security scenario along our northern frontiers is at an uneasy — no war, no peace status… The recent induction of Rafales along with other aircraft has provided the IAF with substantial practical and strategic capability enhancement,” Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said.

“Air power will be a crucial enabler in our victory in any future conflict,” he added.

Courtesy: Opera News/TNN