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China got annoyed after a Kashmiri intellectual and human rights activist raised the issue of illegal occupation of Aksai Chin by Beijing during the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday.
During his virtual intervention, Junaid Qureshi, a Kashmiri from Srinagar who is also the Director of Brussels-based European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) called upon the United Nations to formalize the term "China occupied Jammu and Kashmir" for the large portions of the region that Beijing illegally holds. "Aksai Chin comprises more than 20 per cent of the territory of Jammu and Kashmir and is roughly the same size as Bhutan. Based on existing terminology on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, the UN and its various arms like the UNHRC seem to have completely overlooked the illegal occupation of large parts of its territory by China'', said Junaid. He added, "This omission has had serious implications for the way the Jammu & Kashmir issue is perceived, and it has impeded knowledge and comprehension of China's expansionist designs". Junaid further told the United Nations, "In view of the importance of essential terminology to the search for solutions to complex issues, I call upon this esteemed Council to adopt and formalize the term 'China-occupied Jammu and Kashmir' for referring to the large portions of my homeland that Beijing illegally holds today". The Representative of China raised a Point of Order on this Intervention and said, "The Representative of the NGO made a statement which undermines the territorial integrity and sovereignty of China and has violated the UN Charter. China requests that this NGO will not be given the floor". China occupied Aksai Chin (around 38,000 sq km area) during the 1950s and consolidated its military grip over the area during the 1962 India-China war. The area remained a point of contention between the two countries. (ANI)
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