India has strongly objected to China’s recent decision to create two new counties in the Xinjiang region, which it claims infringe upon its territorial sovereignty. This announcement by the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s government has heightened tensions between the two countries, especially as they are currently engaged in boundary negotiations.
The counties, named He’an and Hekang, were greenlit by China’s Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council. According to reports from state media Xinhua, the administrative centers for these counties will be located in Hongliu and Xeyidula townships. Notably, He’an County includes significant areas of Aksai Chin, a region that India considers part of its territory and accuses China of occupying illegally.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has officially protested this move. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that parts of these newly established counties fall within India’s Union Territory of Ladakh. He emphasized that India has never recognized China’s occupation of this territory and that the creation of these countries will not alter India’s longstanding position regarding its sovereignty.
The timing of this announcement is particularly sensitive, coming shortly after high-level boundary talks between India and China resumed. On December 18, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing for discussions aimed at resolving ongoing border disputes that have persisted since a military standoff in 2020.
The border issue remains a significant barrier to normalizing relations between India and China. In addition to Aksai Chin, India also disputes a portion of territory in the Shaksgam Valley that Pakistan ceded to China in 1963.
Furthermore, India has raised concerns about China’s plans to construct a large dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, urging Beijing to consider the interests of downstream countries like India. The MEA reiterated its commitment to monitor developments closely to safeguard its interests.
