S Jaishankar Dismisses Chinese Map Claiming Arunachal Pradesh: ‘Means Nothing’

New Delhi: India has dismissed China’s latest map, which asserts control over areas including Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin, Taiwan, and the South China Sea. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that China’s habit of releasing such maps holds no validity and doesn’t alter the actual territorial situation. He emphasized that absurd claims don’t grant ownership of others’ territories.

Disengagement talks along the Line of Actual Control were de-linked from China’s new map by Mr Jaishankar. The map’s release coincided with the upcoming G20 Summit and an informal discussion between Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BRICS Summit. During the BRICS Summit, PM Modi conveyed India’s concerns over unresolved border issues.

The disputed map also includes Taiwan and parts of the South China Sea as Chinese territories, conflicting with claims from countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.

China’s Ministry of Natural Resources released the map during the Surveying and Mapping Publicity Day. The map, posted on X (formerly Twitter) by China’s Global Times, was compiled using a drawing method involving national boundaries.

In April, India rejected China’s attempt to rename 11 locations within Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian government reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh remains an integral part of India and rejected China’s naming efforts.

Tensions escalated in Arunachal Pradesh when Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Tawang sector last December. This occurred amid a broader border standoff in eastern Ladakh. India increased military readiness in the Arunachal Pradesh sector due to the situation’s fragility and danger, as stated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister Jaishankar.