Do not interfere in India's internal matters: MEA rejects references to J&K, CPEC in China-Pak joint statement

New Delhi, Feb 10: India has rejected reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement of Pakistan and China released last week and stated that New Delhi expects the parties concerned not to interfere in matters that are internal affairs of India. The Ministry of External Affairs also said that it has consistently conveyed its concerns to Beijing and Islamabad on the projects in the "so-called CPEC".

 

 

India "resolutely opposes" any attempts to change the status quo by "other countries, as also by Pakistan" in the areas under the illegal occupation of Islamabad, he said. In response to a media query, Bagchi said India expects the "parties concerned" not to interfere in matters that are internal affairs of India. The joint statement was issued on February 6 following talks in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

 

"We have noted references to Jammu and Kashmir and the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the joint statement between China and Pakistan issued on 06 February 2022. We have always rejected such references and our position is well known to China and Pakistan. In this instance too, we reject reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement," said the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi in response to media queries on the joint statement that China and Pakistan issued on February 6.

 

 

"The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India. We expect the parties concerned not to interfere in matters that are internal affairs of India," said Bagchi. With regard to the CPEC, Bagchi said, "As regards the reference to the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), we have consistently conveyed our concerns to China and Pakistan on the projects in the so-called CPEC, which are in India's territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan."

 

"We resolutely oppose any attempts to change the status quo by other countries, as also by Pakistan, in the areas under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. We call upon the parties concerned to cease such activities," said Bagchi.

 

 

Notably, the CPEC is part of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). India has been severely critical of the BRI as the USD 50 billion corridor passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).