'Illegal Attempts To Alter Facts': MEA Slams China's Construction Activities In Shaksgam Valley, Asserts Territory Claim

India has lodged a formal protest with China over what it describes as Beijing's unlawful attempts to alter facts on the ground, specifically regarding construction activities in the Shaksgam Valley.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that China has been investing in military infrastructure in the Shaksgam Valley, which India considers as part of its territory as per a report by The Hindu.

Responding to queries about China's infrastructure development in the lower Shaksgam Valley in Kashmir, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that India has never accepted the so-called China Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963.

Jaiswal stated, "Shaksgam Valley is a part of the territory of India. We have never accepted the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963 through which Pakistan unlawfully attempted to cede the area to China, and have consistently conveyed our rejection of the same."

He continued, "We have registered our protest with the Chinese side against illegal attempts to alter facts on the ground.”

The MEA's statement follows recent reports indicating that China's construction activities have breached the Indian border at Aghil Pass, entering the lower Shaksgam Valley of Kashmir, located less than 30 miles away from Siachen.

Satellite images have shown a Chinese road approaching Aghil Pass, with construction work reportedly resuming this month and advancing towards areas north of the Siachen Glacier.

The Shaksgam Valley, part of the PoK, was handed over to China through an illegal border agreement between Pakistan and China on 2 March, 1963.

Despite this, the ongoing Chinese occupation of Kashmir's territory is often overlooked in discussions on the issue. China currently occupies 5,180 square kilometres in the Shaksgam Valley and approximately 38,000 square kilometres in Aksai Chin.

China and Pakistan have collaborated to conceal these facts while promoting projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through parts of Indian territory under their respective control.