India rejects references to Jammu and Kashmir in China-Pakistan statement

India on Thursday rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir in a China-Pakistan joint statement during Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Beijing.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the references were "unwarranted" and India consistently rejected such statements.

The Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh are and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India, he said.

On China-Pakistan-Economic Corridor (CPEC), Bagchi said India consistently conveyed "protests and concerns" to China and Pakistan as it includes projects in the "sovereign territory" of India.

We resolutely reject any attempts to utilise such projects to change the status quo in that area, Bagchi said.

The joint statement was issued after talks between Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping.