'Ladakh Setup Illegally, Western Section Of India-China Border Ours': Beijing Says SC Verdict On Article 370 Won't Change Its Stance

The Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370 will not affect the Chinese stance on Ladakh, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday (13 December), adding that the western part of the India-China border has "always belonged to China".

On 11 December, the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which stripped J&K of its special status and also led to the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories - J&K, and Ladakh.

In response to a question about the SC verdict, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said, "China has never recognized the so-called union territory of Ladakh set up unilaterally and illegally by India. India’s domestic judicial verdict does not change the fact that the western section of the China-India border has always belonged to China".

The comments mirror China's stance on the region, a position it had also declared shortly after the Article 370 abrogation, where it voiced its protest, labeling the action as a “unilateral revision of domestic laws”.

Earlier on Tuesday (12 December), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had also expressed concern about the Supreme Court's decision.

The Ministry of External Affairs has rejected the OIC’s statement.

“That OIC does so at the behest of a serial violator of human rights and an unrepentant promoter of cross border terrorism makes its action even more questionable,” said Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs.