New Delhi: India on Friday strongly rejected China’s official account of the recent meeting between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, asserting that New Delhi has never violated China’s sovereignty while accusing Beijing of continuing its illegal occupation of Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued the sharp response after China released a readout of the ministers’ meeting held in Manila on Wednesday, claiming that Jaishankar had assured Beijing that India respects China’s sovereignty, including on issues related to Taiwan and Tibet.
Responding to the Chinese statement, India said it has consistently respected the sovereignty of other countries and has not violated China’s territorial integrity in any manner. However, it stressed that China continues to illegally occupy Indian territories in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The MEA also indicated that New Delhi does not endorse the Chinese interpretation of the discussions and reaffirmed India’s long-standing position on issues concerning sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The exchange underscores the continuing differences between the two Asian neighbours, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to improve bilateral relations following years of tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
