India Protests China’s New “Counties”, Parts Of Which Are In Ladakh

New Delhi:

India has conveyed its objection and protest via diplomatic channels to China after the neighbouring country set up two counties, parts of which come under the Union Territory Ladakh, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said today.

Chinese state media Xinhua on December 27 reported the government of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region announced the establishment of two new counties in the region – He’an County, and Hekang County.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the State Council approved the two new counties, which will be administered by Hotan Prefecture, Xinhua reported.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said parts of the “so-called counties” fall under Ladakh, and India “never accepted illegal Chinese occupation of Indian territory in this area”.