China 'renames' Arunachal Pradesh’s 15 places in Mandarin, gets sharp reaction from India
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China has ‘renamed’ around 15 places, which include eight townships, two rivers, four mountains and a mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, in Mandarin. In a stern reply to the development, Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that assigning 'invented names' to places by China does not change the reality that the state is an integral part of India
China’s coercive actions to claim some parts of India’s Arunachal Pradesh seems to be ongoing.
In yet another attempt to lay its claim, China has ‘renamed’ around 15 places, which include eight townships, two rivers, four mountains and a mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, in Mandarin.
China seems to have been using these tactics elsewhere too to show the territories it renames belongs to it.
In a stern reply to the development, Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that assigning 'invented names' to places by China does not change the reality that the state is an integral part of India.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, said, “We have seen such reports. 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.’’
"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," Bagchi added.
China had earlier sinicised the names of six places in the state in 2017. It was seen as a retaliation to Dalai Lama’s visit to the state at that time.
Beijing has been laying claim to over 90,000 sq km of territory in Arunachal Pradesh of India for a long time. New Delhi has always rejected it.
(With inputs from agencies)