'Step against territorial sovereignty​': China opposes Indian decision to make Ladakh Union Territory

BEIJING: China on Tuesday objected to India declaring Ladakh as a Union Territory, saying the step was against its "territorial sovereignty" and asked India to "exercise caution" and not "complicate" the border issue.

"China has always objected to the Indian side drawing China's territory in the western section of the China-India border into India's administrative jurisdiction. This position is firm, consistent and has never changed in any way.

"In recent days, the Indian side has unilaterally modified its domestic laws in such a way as to continue to undermine China's territorial sovereignty. This practice is unacceptable," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said in response to India's changes in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We urge the Indian side to exercise caution on the border issue, to strictly abide by the relevant agreements reached between the two sides and to refrain from any move that would further complicate the border issue," he said.

India on Tuesday announced that the Constitution's Article 370, granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was being scrapped and that the state would be bifurcated into the two Union territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.