New Delhi, January 3: India has strongly opposed China’s decision to create two new counties in the Xinjiang region, calling it a violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The move has reignited tensions between the two nations amid ongoing boundary negotiations.
The Chinese government announced the establishment of He’an and Hekang counties in the Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang, a region encompassing parts of the 38,000 square kilometers of Aksai Chin that India claims as its own. Administrative centers for the new counties have been designated in Hongliu and Xeyidula townships.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council approved the move, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reacted sharply, asserting that parts of the newly announced counties fall within India’s Union Territory of Ladakh.
“We have never accepted the illegal Chinese occupation of Indian territory in this area,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement. “The creation of new counties will not alter India’s long-standing and consistent position on its sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to China’s illegal occupation. We have lodged a solemn protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels.”
This announcement comes at a delicate time, following a December 18 meeting in Beijing where India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi engaged in the 23rd round of boundary talks. The discussions marked a resumption of high-level dialogue, which had been stalled since 2020 due to military standoffs in eastern Ladakh.
The border dispute, particularly over Aksai Chin and the Shaksgam Valley 5,180 square kilometers of territory ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963 remains a key obstacle to normalized relations between the two nations.
India has repeatedly called for the resolution of boundary issues as a prerequisite for improved bilateral ties, while Beijing’s unilateral actions, including infrastructure development in contested areas, have added to the strain.
China’s decision to formalize administrative control over disputed territories highlights the ongoing complexities of India-China relations and the challenges of achieving a lasting resolution to their border disputes.
