A day after China made territorial claims in their new standard map that incorporates Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, a Congress MLA from the state, Ninong Ering, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to raise the issue in the ensuing G20 Summit in Delhi on September 9-10.
In his letter, Ering said that the ‘deliberate incident’ on the part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has invoked deep resentment among the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
"This unforeseen, unfortunate yet deliberate incident on the part of PRC has invoked deep resentment among the people of Arunachal Pradesh, it is in common knowledge that the PRC has earlier too tried to assert its claim over Arunachal Pradesh by renaming 11 locations in April 2023, 15 locations in 2021 and 6 places in 2017," he said.
Ering represents the Pashighat-west seat, a constituency bordering the Chinese-controlled Tibet Autonomous Region, in the Arunachal Pradesh legislative assembly. He further said that the recent release of the ‘PRC Standard Map’ is a culmination of their nefarious plans and a matter of importance since Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and has scarred memories of the 1962 Sino-Indian war.
He also mentioned the Galwan Valley clash between the troops of India and China.
"As you know, India is engaged in combat with an aggressive PRC along the Indo-Tibetan border in the Himalayas and 20 of Indian Army personnel gave their lives while defending India’s frontiers against the PLA in Galwan Valley in 2020. Prior to this, you have emphasized that no one can seize an inch of India’s land. Referring to the India-PRC standoff in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh in December 2022, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier stated that the government is committed to ensuring that not a single inch of India’s soil is compromised," the Congress MLA wrote.
He also asserted that he has full faith in the wisdom and might of the Indian Army in defending the Line of Control and Line of Actual Control, adding that the release of the map was an attack on India’s sovereignty and integrity.
"Being an elected representative of Arunachal Pradesh’s Pashighat-West seat, I appeal to you to discuss this matter of PRC unilaterally making changes in its map with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the upcoming G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10," Ering said.
“I would like to emphasize that this matter should be highlighted and condemned globally by relevant state-run media in order to appraise the world of the PRC’s aggression. This is extremely important since any more silence on this issue will be considered and even advertised by the PRC as a tacit approval of the Indian side on Chinese claims,” he added.
Earlier on August 28, China released the “2023 edition of the standard map of China” which incorporates contentious territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin, Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea region.
The unveiling of its updated “standard map” has caused a stir, raising diplomatic concerns and has rekindled existing disputes.
On Tuesday, India lodged a strong protest against China rejecting claims made by Beijing and said they have no basis to claim India’s territory.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that such steps from the Chinese side would only complicate the resolution of the boundary question.
The Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said: "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.
