A frontier defense regiment of the PLA in Xinjiang, along with a border police force from Pakistan, carry out a joint patrol along the China-Pakistan border. (Photo courtesy: People's Daily Online)

A frontier defence regiment of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the western Xinjiang region and a border police force from Pakistan carried out the joint patrols along the China-PoK border, according to photographs posted online in the English-language website of the official People's Daily.

The People's Daily described the region as the "China-Pakistan border", however Xinjiang borders only Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) which is seen by India as an integral part of Indian territory.

A MORE AUDACIOUS CHINA



China usually refers to the region as "Pakistan-administered Kashmir" - and calls Jammu and Kashmir "Indian-administered Kashmir" - but the People's Daily curiously referred only to "Pakistan".

The move to hold joint patrols in the sensitive PoK region has not previously acknowledged by China or Chinese media.

Analysts said it underlines China's intent to further deepen its footprint in PoK.

CHINA IGNORES INDIA'S PROTESTS



China has gone forward with an ambitious $46 billion corridor from Xinjiang through PoK to the Gwadar port in Pakistan, despite India's protests. China has said the projects were "purely commercial" and "without prejudice" to the Kashmir issue which was "for India and Pakistan to solve".

Beijing holding joint patrols with Pakistan, however, on land that Delhi sees as Indian territory is likely to cause further strains in relations with India.

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