MEA rejects China-Pakistan statement on Jammu & Kashmir, raises concerns over CPEC project on Indian soil

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday rejected the joint statement issued by China and Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir. "We reject the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the Joint Statement issued by China and Pakistan after the recent visit of Chinese Foreign Minister. J&K is an integral part of India,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar. 

“On the other hand, India has consistently expressed concerns to both China and Pakistan on the projects in so-called 'China Pakistan Economic Corridor', which is in the territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947. India is resolutely opposed to any actions by other countries to change the status quo in Pakistan occupied J&K. We call on the parties concerned to cease such actions," added Kumar.

China Monday opposed “any unilateral actions that complicate the situation” in Jammu and Kashmir as it maintained that the issue should be "peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements." China also said that it was paying close attention to the "current situation in Jammu and Kashmir."

The remarks were made in a joint statement at the conclusion of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi`s two-day visit to Pakistan, reported news agency ANI.

India scrapped Article 370 last month, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories - J&K, and Ladakh. A jittery Pakistan has been crying hoarse over the move, trying to gain international sympathy, an act that fell flat repeatedly. Most nations maintain that J&K is an international matter of India.