External Ministry Expresses Strong Protest Over New China Map Which Claims India Territory (Representational image)
It has “no basis”, Indian External Ministry expressed strong protest over the Chinese Standard Map 2023, on Tuesday.
China, on Monday, released its recent edition of “standard map” including the Indian regions of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin area. The map also claims Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. Taiwan, the island country sees itself as sovereign nation.
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, PTI reported.
“We have 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,” said Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
Our response to media queries on the so called 2023 “standard map” of China:https://t.co/OZUwNRNrit pic.twitter.com/sAmy20DEa6
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) August 29, 2023
“Making absurd claims over territories wouldn’t make them theirs”, Indian Express quoted the Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
He was speaking at the NDTV Decodes G20 Conclave on Tuesday.
“China has even in the past put out maps which claim the territories which are not China’s, which belong to other countries. This is an old habit of theirs. It is not something which is new. It started in the 1950s… We are very clear what our territories are”, Mr Jaishankar responded.
“This government is very clear about what we need to defend our territories. You can already see that on out borders. I think there should be no doubt about that. Making absurd claims does not make other people’s territories yours”, he added.
The map was released by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources during the celebration of Surveying and Mapping Publicity Day and the National Mapping Awareness Publicity Week on Monday in Deqing county, Zhejiang province, reports the Mint.
“The Indian territories including Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin are an indistinguishable and inalienable part of India”, said the Opposition on Tuesday.
Congress also insisted the central government to use the upcoming G20 Summit to expose China”s real motives into the Indian territory at a global stage.
“No arbitrarily invented Chinese map can change that. China is a habitual offender when it comes to renaming and redrawing maps of territories, belonging to other countries. The Indian National Congress takes strong objection to any such illegal representation or renaming of India”s territories”, wrote Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Indian National Congress on X (formerly Twitter).
“We want a peaceful coexistence with our neighbours, including China and want peace and tranquillity at the LAC. It is, however, painful to note that China”s deception and belligerence continues, post Galwan, in the wake of PM Modi giving them a free pass, by saying “no one entered our territory”, after 20 of our brave soldiers were martyred”, Mr Kharge said on Tuesday.
The Indian territories including Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin are an indistinguishable and inalienable part of India.
No arbitrarily invented Chinese map can change that.
China is a habitual offender when it comes to renaming and redrawing maps of territories, belonging to… pic.twitter.com/ZqgYzxZss7
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 29, 2023
“The status quo ante before May 2020 should be of utmost importance, and the Modi Govt must not budge from anything less than the restoration of the same. We hope that the G-20 Summit in India, will be another opportunity for us to expose the issue of China’s transgressions into Indian territory at the global stage. Modi Govt must ensure that the illegal Chinese occupation of 2000 square kilometres of Indian territory along the LAC must end”, he added.
