New Delhi: In the wake of China’s recent announcement of new names for locations in Arunachal Pradesh, the United States has strongly criticized Beijing’s actions, labeling them as yet another “unilateral attempt” to assert territorial claims. This condemnation from the US comes shortly after India outrightly rejected China’s move, emphasizing that such actions do not alter the fact that Arunachal Pradesh remains an integral part of India.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, a representative from the US State Department stated, “The United States strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control.”
India’s response was swift and firm, with the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, asserting, “China has persisted with its senseless attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. We firmly reject such attempts.” He further emphasized, “Assigning invented names will not alter the reality that Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.”
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The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs recently released a list of standardized geographical names in Zangnan, the Chinese term for Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of south Tibet. This move by Beijing is not a new development, as similar actions were taken in the past, eliciting strong reactions from India.
Last year, India reacted sharply when China released a list of standardized names for places in Arunachal Pradesh. This ongoing dispute over territory has become a recurring issue between the two nations.
The United States has openly declared its support for India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh. “The United States recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory,” stated a representative from the State Department during a press briefing, reaffirming Washington’s stance.
In response, Beijing accused Washington of attempting “to provoke and take advantage of other countries’ conflicts to serve its selfish geopolitical interests.” This exchange underscores the complex dynamics at play in the region, with major powers vying for influence.
India, on its part, has consistently maintained that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of its territory. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated this during a press conference, stating, “Arunachal Pradesh was an Indian state, is an Indian state, and will remain so in the future.” He emphasized that changing names does not alter ground realities.
The strained relationship between India and China, particularly in the wake of the eastern Ladakh border dispute, has heightened tensions. Despite ongoing diplomatic and military talks, certain friction points remain unresolved.
India emphasizes the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control for normalizing overall ties with China.
