New Delhi: India on Tuesday severely criticised the reported move by both China and Pakistan for third-party participation in some projects on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying that such activities are “inherently illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable.”
New Delhi said: “Any such actions by any party directly infringe on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. India firmly and consistently opposes projects in the so-called CPEC, which are in Indian territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan. Such activities are inherently illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable, and will be treated accordingly by India.”
Recent media reports said that during a meeting on the CPEC projects on July 21, Pakistan and China had sought the participation of “interested third parties” in mutually beneficial cooperation in the CPEC.
India has far refused to join the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), whose flagship project is the CPEC as India’s national position is that PoK remains Indian territory that is illegally occupied by Pakistan.
