BEIJING, China (Xinhua) — China on Thursday urged India to respect its territorial sovereignty and abide by relevant agreements reached between the two sides.

This was after the South Asian country announced in the day the establishment of the so-called “Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir” and “Union Territory of Ladakh,” placing part of Chinese territory under Indian administration.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks when asked to comment on the issue.

“China deplores and firmly opposes this. India is challenging China’s sovereign rights and interests by unilaterally revising domestic law and administrative division,” said Geng.

“This is illegal, null and void. It will neither change the fact that the relevant region is under China’s actual control nor produce any effect,” he added.

He urged India to take concrete actions to safeguard peace and tranquility in the border region and create favorable conditions for a proper settlement of the border issue with China.

China’s position on the issue of Kashmir is consistent and clear. It is a dispute left over from history and should be resolved properly and peacefully in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant Security Council Resolutions and bilateral agreements.

Parties to the issue should resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation to maintain peace and stability in the region, said Geng.