New Delhi, Aug 13 - A website, which published a controversial article by a Chinese strategist suggesting breaking up India into 20-30 states, has denied links to any Chinese government think-tank.

The site's owner-editor Kang Lingyi has said that he ran the internet publication on his own without any backing from the Chinese government.

Kang said it was a mere coincidence that his website had a name similar to the official think-tank, China International Institute for Strategic Studies (CIISS), and that he has since changed it to China Center for International and Strategic Studies 'to avoid confusion'.

China International Strategy Net, a website focused on strategic issues, published an article by a Chinese strategist that detailed a roadmap for splitting India into 20-30 states with the help of 'friendly countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh'.

The article sparked an outcry in India with the external affairs ministry sharply reacting to it.

According to the Financial Times, China International Strategy Net is run by Kang Lingyi, who took part in hacking into US government websites in 1999 following the US bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.