The government has strongly responded after China released the 2023 edition of its "standard map", incorporating Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region in it. Responding to the media queries on the so-called 2023 "standard map” of China, Arindam Bagchi, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that India has lodged a strong protest regarding it.
"We have today lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels with the Chinese side on the so-called 2023 "standard map” of China that lays claim to India’s territory.
We reject these claims as they have no basis. Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question," he added.
It should be noted here that India maintains that Arunachal Pradesh has "always been" and will "always be" an integral part of the country.
What China's new map depicted?
"The 2023 edition of China's standard map was officially released on Monday and launched on the website of the standard map service hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources," state-run Global Times said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "This map is compiled based on the drawing method of the national boundaries of China and various countries in the world," the post added.
The map displayed by the Global Times showed Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as South Tibet, and Aksai Chin, occupied by it in the 1962 war, as part of China.
PM Modi meets Jinping
Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had said that during a conversation with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India's concerns on unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control.
"The Prime Minister underlined that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India-China relationship. In this regard, two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation," Kwatra had said.
Arunachal Pradesh is integral part of India
India has repeatedly told China that "Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India". The map also incorporates as Chinese territory the island of Taiwan and a large part of the South China Sea, both of which China has laid claim to.
(With inputs from agencies)
