In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Wednesday, “China has never acknowledged the so-called union territory of Ladakh, unilaterally and unlawfully established by India.” Mao Ning conveyed to the media that despite India’s domestic judicial ruling, the western section of the China-India border has always been recognized by China as its own territory. This strong rejection by China pertained to the Indian Supreme Court’s decision endorsing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government’s move to nullify Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
The Supreme Court of India, on December 11, upheld the legality of the decision to revoke Article 370 and urged the Indian government to promptly reinstate statehood in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, it affirmed the validity of India’s decision in 2019 to create the so-called union territory of Ladakh. Mao Ning had previously criticized the Indian top court’s action to rescind Kashmir’s special status, emphasizing, “China maintains a consistent and clear stance on the Kashmir issue. This dispute between India and Pakistan is a historical legacy and should be peacefully addressed in accordance with the United Nations Charter, UN Security Council resolutions, and relevant bilateral agreements.”
It’s worth noting that on August 5, 2019, New Delhi revoked the special status conferred upon the region under Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution, dividing the former state into two federally administered entities: the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh. China objected to alterations in Jammu and Kashmir as it holds territorial claims in Ladakh along what is known as the Line of Actual Control.