China has been asked to cease activities in PoK: Govt

New Delhi: India has asked China to cease its activities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Friday.

In a written reply in Lok Sabha, he said that government has taken note of reports regarding presence of Chinese persons in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including in Gilgit-Baltistan region.

"Government has also conveyed its concerns to China about their activities in PoK and asked them to cease such activities," he said.

In another reply, he said the government has taken note of reports indicating increased Chinese ships and submarine forays into the Indian Ocean Region.

"China has also been deploying naval ships as part of their anti-piracy escort force in the Gulf of Aden since January 2009. It is understood that 20 such deployments have been undertaken till date," Parrikar said.

He added that a Chinese submarine, deployed in the Gulf of Aden since April this year, undertook replenishment at Karachi in May and July by transit through international waters.