China doubled down on its claim over parts of Ladakh, a part of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mao Ning, spokeswoman of China’s Foreign Ministry, in a news briefing said, “China has never recognized the so-called union territory of Ladakh set up unilaterally and illegally by India” .
On Aug. 5, 2019, New Delhi revoked the special status granted to occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution and downgraded it into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. India’s Supreme Court on Monday upheld these decisions taken by New Delhi.
Responding to the verdict, Mao said: “India’s domestic judicial verdict does not change the fact that the western section of the China-India border has always belonged to China,” according to a transcript of the news briefing held in Beijing.
Beijing had objected to the changes to Jammu and Kashmir as China has border claims in Ladakh along what is called as Line of Actual Control.
At least 24 soldiers, 20 from the Indian side, were killed when the two militaries fought at the Line of Actual Control in June 2020.
The border crisis has not yet been resolved although tensions appear to have eased.
