India Slams China Over Arunachal

Ruby Thakur
April 3, 2024
85

The Ministry of External Affairs slammed China for renaming several places in Arunachal Pradesh, saying assigning invented names in the state will not change the reality that it is an integral part of India. In response to China’s latest attempt to rename 30 locations in Arunachal Pradesh with Chinese and Tibetan names, India firmly reiterated its rejection of such actions.

India Slams China Over Arunachal

Why In News

The Ministry of External Affairs slammed China for renaming several places in Arunachal Pradesh, saying assigning invented names in the state will not change the reality that it is an integral part of India. In response to China’s latest attempt to rename 30 locations in Arunachal Pradesh with Chinese and Tibetan names, India firmly reiterated its rejection of such actions.

What’s The Issue Is All About

Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, emphasized, “China has persisted with its senseless attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. We firmly reject such attempts. 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.”
This marks the fourth time that China has unilaterally changed the names of locations in the state, with the new names set to appear on official Chinese maps later this year.

The timing of this move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Arunachal, where he inaugurated the Sela Tunnel, a significant infrastructure project aimed at facilitating troop movement in the region’s challenging terrain.
India has consistently rebuffed China’s renaming efforts and dismissed its claims over Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that it remains an integral part of India. External Affairs Spokesperson earlier highlighted this stance, stating “Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be a state of India. Changing names does not have an effect.”

The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs released a new list of names, which includes residential areas, mountains, rivers, lakes, and mountain passes.
Jaishankar said while addressing a press conference in Gujarat “If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be a state of India. Changing names does not have an effect,”
Earlier the United States criticized China for its claims on the northeastern state and said it really doesn’t like it when China tries to say that certain areas belong to them across the Line of Actual Control.

China’s previous renaming efforts in Arunachal Pradesh occurred in April 2017 and December 2021. In 2017, the renaming occurred immediately following a visit by the Dalai Lama to the region.
The backdrop of this latest development is the ongoing standoff between India and China in the Ladakh sector since May 2020, leading to a significant deterioration in bilateral ties.

With both sides deploying troops and heavy armament along the Line of Actual Control, tensions remain high between the two Himalayan neighbours despite several rounds of military and official round of talks, the situation remains far from peaceful in the area.

History Of India And China On Arunachal

Ties between India and China have been frosty due to the dispute over the international border. Both the nations share an “ill-defined 3,440-km-long border”.
Currently, the Indian states Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh share a border with China. India’s claim on Arunachal Pradesh rests on the Simla Convention of 1914.

According to various reports, British India reached a consensus with the Tibetan authorities at the Simla Convention in 1914. It was decided that the border would pass through the McMahon Line.
The situation became tense after the People’s Republic of China was established by Mao Zedong in 1949. The annexation of Tibet by the People’s Liberation Army in 1950 further complicated the situation.

Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, in a note to the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959, reportedly for the first time mentioned the term “Line of Actual Control” (LAC). This action sparked the Sino-Indian War in 1962.

The situation turned worse when Beijing released an official map showing parts of Arunachal Pradesh as Chinese territory. Eventually China announced a unilateral ceasefire and withdrew from most of the invaded area. After the 1962 war, the LAC became an informal ceasefire line between India and China.

India now considers the McMahon Line as its version of the LAC. Meanwhile, China claims Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as “South Tibet”, as its territory.
Notably, United States recognises Arunachal Pradesh as part of India and has often opposed China’s “unilateral attempts” to assert territorial claims over the region.

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Ruby Thakur

General Studies Lecturer SSBCrackExams, BSc In PCM, Trained Students For State Services Exams. Expertise in Geography ,Polity & Current Affairs. Love Travelling.