India lodges protest against Beijing’s construction in Shaksgam Valley, rejects China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement

The Shaksgam Valley is a part of the territory of India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said today amid reports of China building infrastructure in the valley, a strategically located region that is now part of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India "never accepted the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963 through which Pakistan unlawfully attempted to cede the area to China".

Lodging a strong protest with China for carrying out construction activities, India called it an "illegal" attempt to alter the situation on the ground.

"We have registered our protest with the Chinese side against illegal attempts to alter facts on the ground," said Mr Jaiswal, adding the country reserves "the right to take necessary measures to safeguard our interests".