China evades response to presence of its troops in PoK

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kong, replying to a question about the presence of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops at a forward post opposite Nowgam sector in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), “I have not heard about the incident you mentioned.” 

In response to reports of recent incursions of PLA troops on the Indian side in the Ladakh sector, Kong said “there is no such thing as going beyond the border”. “We deeply regret that the media keeps popping up the relevant issue. The bilateral relationship (between India and China) has maintained sound momentum of development. ” 

“We hope that the relevant media would report objectively about China-India relations and do more to improve the friendly relationship between the two sides,” he said. At the same time Lu reiterated Beijing’s stand on the Kashmir issue, saying that “China’s position on Kashmir issue is consistent”. “We believe that the relevant issue was left over by history between India and Pakistan. 

We maintain that the two countries should properly resolve it through negotiations and consultations,” he added. Asked whether presence of PLA troops is connected to the work related to the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, over which India has conveyed its protest, Lu merely reiterated China’s stand on the Kashmir issue.