Beijing China on Thursday lashed out at India for changingthe status of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, calling the reorganisation of theformer state into two separate union territories (UT) “unlawful and void”.

India’s response was swift: “The matter of reorganization ofthe erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir into the Union Territories of Jammu& Kashmir and Ladakh is entirely an internal affair of India. We do notexpect other countries, including China, to comment on matters which areinternal to India, just as India refrains from commenting on internal issues ofother countries. The Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh areintegral part of India. We expect other countries to respect India’ssovereignty and territorial integrity,” a statement read out by a spokespersonfor India’s ministry of external affairs in Delhi said.

China continues to be in occupation of a large tract of areain the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. It has alsoillegally acquired Indian territories from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK)under the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963, the statementwent on to add.

In Beijing, China said India’s move violated Chinesesovereignty but will also not change the situation on the ground as part of thearea in the former state remains under Chinese control.

Jammu and Kashmir ceased to be a state and became two UTs –Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh – at midnight on Wednesday, nearly three monthsafter the Indian Parliament revoked the special status enjoyed by the formerstate under Article 370 of the Constitution.

The Chinese foreign ministry was asked to respond to the lawcoming into effect at the regular ministry briefing on Thursday.

“The Indian government officially announced theestablishment of so-called J&K UT and Ladakh UT which included some ofChina’s territory into its administrative jurisdiction,” foreign ministry spokesperson,Geng Shuang said.

“China deplores and firmly opposes that (move). Indiaunilaterally changes its domestic laws and administrative divisions challengingChina’s sovereignty. This is unlawful and void and this is not effective in anyway and will not change the fact that the area is under Chinese actualcontrol,” Geng added.

“China urges the Indian side to earnestly respect Chineseterritorial sovereignty, abide by our treaties and uphold peace and tranquilityin the border areas and create favourable conditions for the proper settlement ofboundary question,” he said.

Geng was referring to the disputed territory of Aksai Chin,which China controls but New Delhi claims as part of the new UT of Ladakh.

China had reacted similarly on August 6, a day after NewDelhi had announced the decision to revoke Article 370, calling the move“unacceptable”.

India had then rejected Beijing’s criticism, saying theproposal to form new UTs including that of Ladakh was an “internal matter”.

New Delhi had also pointed out the two sides had agreed tomaintain peace along their disputed border until a mutually acceptable solutionis found to the issue.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar visited Beijing soonafter and explained India’s position, saying that the change in theadministrative status of the region did not impact the Line of Actual Control(LAC) – the de facto border with China.

On Thursday, Geng also brought up Kashmir, saying it is a“…dispute left from history and it should be properly and peacefully resolvedbased on the UN charter, the relevant UNSC (UN Security Council) resolutionsand other bilateral treaties and relevant side should resolve dispute throughdialogue and consultations and uphold regional peace and stability.”

On a separate question about “trust deficit” between Indiaand China compared to close ties between China and Pakistan, Geng said NewDelhi and Beijing were working at various levels for “greater” mutual understandingand trust.

Geng also made the distinction between India and Pakistanclear: “China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners and ourcooperation is very close”.

Referring to the second informal summit between PM NarendraModi and President Xi Jinping in Chennai earlier this month, he said: “Ibelieve both sides have released statements and press releases and both sidesexchanged views on the global, regional, long term and strategy issues in afriendly atmosphere and agreed to develop closer partnerships”.

“They also discussed cooperation in various areas in thenext stage. I believe this includes cooperation in people-to-people exchanges.Cooperation between China and India grew fast in the past years. And we havemechanisms for people-to-people exchange. In many areas we have fruitfuloutcomes,” Geng added.

“I believe this contributes to our mutual understanding andtrust and we will work with the Indian side under the people-to-people exchangemechanisms to work for greater mutual understanding and trust between ourpeoples,” Geng said.

To another question, Geng said China will support Pakistanin its dealings with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), aninter-governmental body formed to fight money laundering and terror financing.

“It’s (the FATF’s) aim is not to sanction or punish anycountry. Not long ago the plenary session of the FATF decided to keep thegrading of Pakistan. This shows that the FATF members recognise Pakistan’sprogress in improving its anti-terrorist financing system and they are anencouragement for Pakistan,” Geng said.

“This is also in accordance with the purposes and goals ofFATF. China supports Pakistan improving its domestic anti-terrorist financingsystem and we will work with all parties of FATF to provide constructivesupport and assistance to Pakistan,” he said.

The spokesperson added that FATF was an important platformfor anti-money laundering and fighting terrorist financing activities. “The aimof FATF is to better help all countries fight the illegal activities of moneylaundering and terrorist financing or the abuse of the international financialsystem.”

On Thursday, the statement from India’s ministry of externalaffairs said: “India has consistently conveyed its concerns to both China andPakistan on the projects in so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which isin the territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947.”