By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, April 2: China has announced the renaming of 30 additional places within a disputed border region with India, in a move seen as a bid to reinforce its territorial claims in the area. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs released the updated list of names on Saturday, covering various locations in Arunachal Pradesh, referred to as Zangnan by China, which it considers part of the so called Tibetan Autonomous Region.
The renaming initiative encompasses 11 residential areas, 12 mountains, four rivers, one lake, one mountain pass, and a parcel of land. The names are provided in Chinese characters, Tibetan, and pinyin, the Roman alphabet version of Mandarin Chinese. Alongside the names, detailed latitude and longitude coordinates, as well as a high-resolution map, were included in the announcement.
Stating adherence to the regulations outlined by the State Council of China regarding geographical name management, the ministry clarified the collaborative effort with relevant departments in standardizing the geographical nomenclature in Zangnan.
This latest renaming exercise expands upon previous efforts undertaken over the past seven years and covers more parts of the disputed region. The ongoing territorial dispute between China and India dates back to the 1962 war, which left them separated by the Line of Actual Control stretching over 3,200 kilometres, following the occupation of Tibet in 1959.
The disagreement persists, with both countries failing to reach a consensus on the exact demarcation of their borders. The current delineation is based on the British colonial McMahon Line, which China has consistently contested.
Tensions escalated earlier this month when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the disputed territory, prompting a protest from China. India, in response, dismissed China’s claim as “absurd.” The United States has thrown its support behind India’s stance, emphasizing its recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and expressing strong opposition to any attempts to alter the status quo.
2 Responses
Arunachal Pradesh was always and continues to be part and parcel of India; as such China’s claim to this region is a baseless and fraudulent assertion that has no legitimacy. China seems hell bent on expanding its territory
China’s latest re-naming of 30-additional places at the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh, is another
colonial motive after conquering independent Tibet and committing genocide upon the peace loving people of Tibet. Such a territorial quest will continue to emerge if Tibet is not re-stored to its buffer state. It is therefore high time to support for resolution of Tibet-China conflict in accordance with the Middle Way Approach founded by His Holiness the great 14th Dalai Lama and approved by the Tibetan Parliament in-Exile.