MEA Lambast China For Renaming 15 Places Of Arunachal Pradesh, Asserts Such Moves Won’t Alter Facts

Posted in Arunachal Pradesh, Featured, Northeast

 

  • NET Web Desk

China’s geographical threats towards India have continued to escalate throughout years and have put India under additional pressure. Likewise, its series of issuing so-called ‘standardized names’ for Arunachal Pradesh depicts its intentions to aggravate the ongoing border dispute.

Meanwhile, China has released the second batch of standardized names for 15 places of the northeastern state.

Reacting to the same, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the move by Beijing “does not alter” the fact that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.

“This is not the first time China has attempted such a renaming of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017,” – asserted the spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

“Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be an integral part of India. Assigning invented names to places in Arunachal Pradesh does not alter this fact.” – further adds Bagchi.

However, among these official names, which have been given precise co-ordinates, eight are residential areas, four – mountains, two are rivers, while one is a mountain pass.

The official names for eight towns on the list were – Sengkezong and Daglungzong in Cona county of Shannan prefecture, Mani’gang, Duding and Migpain in Medog county of Nyingchi, Goling, Damba in Zayu county of Nyingchi, and Mejag in Lhunze county of Shannan; the mountains were Wamo Ri, Deu Ri, Lhunzhub Ri and Kumingxingze Feng; the two rivers were Xenyogmo He and Dulain He, and the mountain pass on the list was Se La.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Chinese Government announced on Wednesday that it had “standardized” in Mandarin Chinese characters as well as in Tibetan and Roman alphabets the names of the 15 places in Zangnan or the southern part of Xizang (Tibet Autonomous Region), as reported by a state-affiliated media outlet of the communist country, The Global Times.

It further mentioned that names of the 15 places in south Tibet “in accordance with regulations on geographical names issued by the State Council”.

However, Beijing’s first attempt to assert its territorial claim came last in 2017.

Its worthy to note that 15 new “standardised” names, along with their exact coordinates and a map came just days ahead of a new border law coming into force.

This new border law, aiming to approve military interventions into the disputed areas was proposed in March 2021, marking one year of Galwan clash when People’s Liberation Army (PLA) marched to the forward areas, thereby deliberately aggravating the situation.

Its multiple infringement of mobilization in forward areas along India border, and erection of new “frontier villages” along the Bhutan border depicts its extra territorial ambition.

The new border law will come into force with effect from January 1, 2022.

Article 22 of this law adds that the PLA, “shall carry out border disputes”, which will incorporate “organizing drills” and “resolutely prevent, stop and combat invasion, encroachment, provocation and other acts”.

According to observers, the law would formalize some of China’s recent actions in disputed regions with India & Bhutan, including PLA’s stationing troops in areas along the India border, thereby utilizing multiple transgressions across the LAC.

However, the law also talks about an illusion – a strategy game that China have been following since decades. The law informed that PLA can, “handle land border-related affairs with neighboring countries through negotiations to properly resolve disputes and long-standing border issues”.

Indian officials earlier informed that PLA have violated four past border agreements, that were signed to maintain peace and cordial relations between India & China.

Responding to the same, India have expressed strong concern on the new “Land Border Law” undertaken by the Chinese Government, thereby delivering more power to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to manage the border disputes with its neighboring nations.

Terming the law as an act to “unilaterally alter the situation in border areas”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) cited that the border law might result into massive implications during the management of disputed boundaries shared between the two countries.

An unilateral move, this legislation will not have any connection with existing arrangements between both sides, informed an official statement.

Besides, it referred China-Pakistan 1963 accord, through which Pakistan handed over the Shaksgam Valley of Aksai Chin to China as “illegal and invalid”.

“China’s unilateral decision to bring about a legislation that can have implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us.” – stated the external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

He further added, “We also expect that China will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law, which could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas”.

Tags: , , , ,
More Articles