China announces establishment of two new regions in Ladakh, India strongly protests
Last Updated on January 5, 2025 5:58 am
The India-China border has become heated again. In October last year, the two countries reached an agreement to withdraw troops from the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. Both sides withdrew troops from several areas like Demchok and Depsang.
But the fact that the border situation has not calmed down is evidenced by China’s new steps. The country has announced the creation of two new administrative regions in Ladakh. India has strongly protested against this.
Chinese state media Xinhua reported last week (December 27) that the government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China has announced the establishment of two new counties or administrative regions. The names of the two regions are Heyan County and Hekang County, respectively.
Xinhua also reported that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council have already approved the two new counties. The two new administrative regions will be administered by China’s Hotan Prefecture.
But parts of these two regions fall within India’s Ladakh. Naturally, New Delhi is fuming over this move of the country. The country’s Ministry of External Affairs has strongly protested against it.
At a regular press conference on Friday (January 3), External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that parts of these so-called counties fall within Ladakh and India has never recognized China’s illegal occupation of this region.
He said, “We have seen the announcement of the establishment of two new counties under Hotan Prefecture. Parts of these so-called counties fall within India’s Union Territory of Ladakh. We have never recognized China’s illegal occupation of this region.”
Jaiswal further said, “The creation of new counties will not affect our long-standing and consistent position on India’s sovereignty in this region. India will not legitimize China’s illegal and forcible occupation. We have lodged a strong protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels.’
A few years ago, tensions between China and India over the border escalated. On June 15, 2020, there was a clash between the armies of the two countries in the Galwan Valley. The Chinese troops attacked with iron rods and barbed wire.
Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the bloody clash. This was the first incident of loss of life on the Line of Actual Control since 1975. After the clash, a virtual war situation developed on the border. The armies of the two countries held several rounds of talks to calm the situation.