Srinagar/Leh, 3 January 2025: India lodged an official protest on Friday against China’s formation of new counties, claiming they encroach on the disputed Aksai Chin region in northeastern Ladakh.
A spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, stated, “We have raised a strong objection with the Chinese government through diplomatic channels.”
India reaffirmed its position that it has “never accepted” China’s claim to the contested area.
China’s recent declaration of two new counties, Hean and Hekang, within the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has met with fierce resistance from New Delhi. Reports indicate these counties’ jurisdiction stretches into Ladakh.
Jaiswal stressed, “The creation of these counties will not alter India’s resolute stance on its sovereignty nor legitimize China’s illegal occupation.”
Aksai Chin, which India considers part of its territory, has been under Chinese control since the 1950s. The territorial dispute played a pivotal role in the 1962 Sino-Indian War, and tensions remain, with recent skirmishes occurring near Depsang, located just 40 kilometres west of Aksai Chin.
