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NEW DELHI, 3 Jan:<\/strong> India on Friday said it has lodged a “solemn protest” with China over establishment of two new counties in Hotan prefecture as parts of these regions fall in the Indian union territory of Ladakh.<\/p>\n In a strong reaction, New Delhi said that creation of new counties will neither have a bearing on India’s longstanding and consistent position regarding its sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to China’s “illegal and forcible” occupation of the same.<\/p>\n External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has never accepted the “illegal” Chinese occupation of Indian territory in the area.<\/p>\n \u00a0“We have seen the announcement pertaining to the establishment of two new counties in Hotan prefecture of China.<\/p>\n Parts of jurisdiction of these so-called counties fall in India’s union territory of Ladakh,” he said.<\/p>\n “We have never accepted the illegal Chinese occupation of Indian territory in this area,” he said.<\/p>\n “Creation of new counties will neither have a bearing on India’s longstanding and consistent position regarding our sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to China’s illegal and forcible occupation of the same,” Jaiswal added.<\/p>\n