India ‘hyping’ over Shaksgam Valley, China responds to army chief’s comments

China’s state-owned Global Times has responded to recent comments by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on India-China ties, warning of what it described as “hype” by Indian officials over the Shaksgam Valley, a region linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In a report published on Wednesday, the newspaper said that while there are signs of improvement in bilateral ties and a shared intention to maintain peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the focus should remain on managing the border situation and strengthening mutual trust between the two militaries.

Quoting Chinese experts, the report claims that the renewed Indian focus on the Shaksgam Valley reflects what it called a “mistaken position” among some Indian officials on the border issue and on CPEC. It argued that such statements risk undermining efforts to stabilize ties, at a time when the two countries’ top leaders have engaged in diplomatic talks in recent months.

The report further said that General Dwivedi had said that the leaders of India and China were keen to maintain calm along the border and overcome trust deficits, and that both sides had undertaken a “force redeployment” to keep the situation stable. He also underlined that conditions along the northern border remained stable but required continued vigilance.

INDIA REITERATES THE SOVEREIGNTY STANDING

The army chief, however, reiterated India’s long-standing position on the Shaksgam Valley, stating that New Delhi considers the 1963 border agreement between Pakistan and China as “illegal” and does not condone any activity in the region.

India has consistently maintained that the CPEC passes through territory under Pakistan’s illegal occupation and that sovereignty issues are non-negotiable, even as military and diplomatic engagement with China continues to prevent escalation along the LAC.

CHINA’S RESPONSE TO CPEC

Responding to recent comments from Indian officials and media reports, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said earlier this week that the area in question belongs to China and that Beijing has the right to build infrastructure on its own territory.

Mao said that China and Pakistan, as sovereign countries, had signed a border agreement in the 1960s and that CPEC is an economic cooperation initiative aimed at promoting development and improving living standards. She added that neither the China-Pakistan border deal nor the CPEC affects China’s position on the Kashmir issue.

Launched in 2013, CPEC is a flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, linking Pakistan’s Gwadar port to Kashgar in Xinjiang, covering sectors such as energy, transportation, industry and agriculture.

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