"Govt Should Introspect...": Congress MP On China's Territorial Claims In New Map

After China’s territorial claims on Arunachal Pradesh in their new updated map, Congress MP Manish Tewari reacted to the development saying that the Chinese maps are “preposterous” and are not in sync with the history of the Sino-India border dispute.

Earlier yesterday, China officially released the 2023 edition of its “standard map,” which shows the state of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region as part of its territory.

The Congress MP said, "The absurdity and preposterousness of the Chinese claim is evidenced by the history of the Sino-Indian border dispute...Today, the real issue between India and China is that the Chinese have transgressed along the Line of Actual Control at multiple points on a theatre level..."

He further added under such circumstances the Government should seriously introspect whether it would be in accordance with India's self-respect to host President, Xi Jinping, in Delhi for the upcoming G20 summit. 

"China is in illegal occupation of 2000 square kilometres of Indian territory along the LAC, that is what needs to be vacated...To sum it up, the Chinese maps are preposterous, they are not in sync with the history of the Sino-India border dispute, China has no claim on Arunachal Pradesh...", he said.

The new Chinese Map 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.

The new updated map was released by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The territorial claims on China’s western borders, as also the so-called nine-dash line covering the entire South China Sea, are shown on the map as in previous editions. Also as in previous maps, a “tenth dash” is placed east of Taiwan, underlining Beijing’s claims over the island.

The inclusion of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin, both areas that have long been subject to conflicting claims between China and India is of particular significance and will potentially inflame more tensions.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asserted that "the age of expansionism is over" post the Galwan valley clash, China has proved otherwise - with its new standard map clearly including a internal part of India .

Arunachal Pradesh, despite China's assertions of it as South Tibet, has steadfastly remained an integral part of India. India has consistently reiterated this stance. India has repeatedly said that the state of Arunachal Pradesh has "always been" and will "always be" an integral part of the country.

The 2023 map, State media reported, was released during what is being called “National Mapping Awareness Publicity Week” in China.

Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping met on the side lines of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had said that in his conversation with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Modi had highlighted India's concerns on unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas.