China's Infrastructure Expansion in Shaksgam Valley Raises Kashmir Dispute Concerns

The Shaksgam Valley, part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, is subject to Chinese infrastructure development, including a recently completed 75 km road linking Xinjiang to the Karakoram Highway. India maintains that the 1963 China-Pakistan boundary agreement transferring this territory is illegal and invalid, asserting Shaksgam as Indian land. Experts note the agreement's provisional nature tied to Kashmir's unresolved status, warning that China's consolidation efforts may complicate future diplomatic negotiations and escalate regional tensions.