China has reignited a sensitive territorial dispute with India by asserting sovereignty over the Shaksgam Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, rejecting New Delhi’s objections and defending its infrastructure activities in the strategically significant region.
China has once again asserted its claim over the Shaksgam Valley, a territory India considers an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir, escalating tensions between the two Asian neighbours.
Responding to India’s objections over reported Chinese infrastructure construction in the region, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the area “belongs to China” and that it was “fully justified for China to conduct infrastructure construction on its own territory.”
India has firmly rejected this assertion, reiterating that the Shaksgam Valley-also known as the Trans-Karakoram Tract-is part of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir and therefore belongs to India. New Delhi has consistently maintained that China’s claim stems from an agreement with Pakistan that India considers illegal and invalid.
The latest exchange underscores how unresolved border disputes continue to strain bilateral relations, even as both sides claim to be working towards stability along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
What Is the Shaksgam Valley and Why It Matters
The Shaksgam Valley lies north of the Karakoram range, bordering China’s Xinjiang region and Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan. While the area is sparsely populated and geographically harsh, its strategic significance is considerable.
It sits close to key transit routes linking China and Pakistan, including corridors that are part of the broader China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
India’s position is that Pakistan illegally ceded around 5,180 square kilometres of the Shaksgam Valley to China in 1963 through a boundary agreement, at a time when Pakistan itself did not have legitimate sovereignty over the territory. India has never recognised this agreement, asserting that no third country can alter the status of Indian territory.
Chinese infrastructure activity in the region, therefore, is viewed by India not merely as a bilateral issue with China, but as one entangled with Pakistan’s role in the Kashmir dispute.
Official Positions: Strong Words, Familiar Lines
China’s latest statement follows India’s diplomatic protest against reports of construction activity in the disputed area. Mao Ning, addressing a regular media briefing, dismissed India’s objections, reiterating Beijing’s long-standing claim.
“The territory you mentioned belongs to China,” she said, adding that China’s actions were lawful and within its rights.
Indian officials, while not naming Mao directly, have responded firmly. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has in the past stated that China has “no legal basis” for its claims over the Shaksgam Valley and has urged Beijing to refrain from activities that complicate the boundary question.
India has also repeatedly emphasised that it does not recognise any agreement between China and Pakistan concerning Indian territory.
The exchange reflects a familiar pattern in India–China relations: sharp diplomatic rebuttals, hardened positions, and limited scope for immediate resolution.
While both sides continue to engage through military and diplomatic channels, such public statements highlight how fragile the détente remains.
A Dispute Rooted in History
The Shaksgam Valley issue cannot be separated from the broader and more complex India–China boundary dispute, which spans over 3,400 kilometres. While the western sector, including Ladakh, has historically seen fewer clashes compared to the eastern sector, tensions have escalated since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020.
Since then, both sides have deployed tens of thousands of troops, heavy artillery, and advanced surveillance systems along the LAC.
Although several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have led to disengagement in some friction points, trust remains low. Infrastructure development-by both India and China-has emerged as a particularly sensitive issue, with each side closely monitoring the other’s activities near contested areas.
Against this backdrop, China’s comments on Shaksgam Valley are seen in India as part of a broader strategy to reinforce territorial claims through physical presence and public messaging.
Regional and Global Implications
The renewed focus on Shaksgam Valley also has wider regional implications. China’s strategic partnership with Pakistan, often described as “all-weather,” adds another layer of complexity. For India, any Chinese activity in areas linked to Pakistan-administered Kashmir raises concerns about a two-front challenge.
For China, infrastructure development in these regions is tied to long-term connectivity, economic, and security goals.
Internationally, such disputes are being watched closely as global powers assess stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
While most countries refrain from taking sides on specific territorial claims, repeated flare-ups between two nuclear-armed neighbours inevitably raise concerns about regional peace and economic stability.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Territorial disputes rooted in history are among the most difficult to resolve, but repeated assertions and counter-assertions risk deepening mistrust and hardening public opinion on both sides.
The Logical Indian believes that while nations must safeguard their sovereignty, enduring peace cannot be built through rhetoric, unilateral actions, or symbolic provocations.
At a time when millions across India and China grapple with economic pressures, climate challenges, and social inequalities, escalation over disputed territories diverts attention and resources from people-centric priorities.
Dialogue, transparency, and confidence-building measures remain the only sustainable path forward.
