China provokes India again! Beijing releases new list of 30 names for areas in Arunachal Pradesh
China has released a fourth list of 30 new names for locations in Arunachal Pradesh, as part of its continued efforts to assert its claim over the Indian state. India has rejected these actions, affirming that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country.
FollowChina has once again sought to provoke India by unveiling a fourth list of 30 new names for various locations in Arunachal Pradesh. While Beijing has been escalating its recent efforts to assert its claim over the Indian state, New Delhi has consistently rejected its neighbour's move to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh. India has reiterated that the region is an integral part of the country, and arbitrary name changes do not alter this fact.
According to the state-run Global Times, the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs released the list under the name "Zangnan" which Beijing uses for Arunachal Pradesh, a region it claims as part of south Tibet. The list, posted on the ministry's official website, is set to come into effect on May 1. Article 13 of the implementation measures stipulate that any place names in foreign languages deemed detrimental to China's territorial claims and sovereignty rights shall not be used without authorization.
China had previously released three lists of standardized geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh, with the first list of six places issued in 2017, followed by a list of 15 places in 2021, and another list covering 11 places in 2023.
Tensions over Arunachal Pradesh have intensified recently, sparked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the region, during which he inaugurated the Sela Tunnel, facilitating all-weather connectivity to strategically important areas like Tawang. Both the Chinese Foreign and Defence ministries have issued statements reiterating China's claims over the region.
India has maintained a firm stance on the issue, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar dismissing China's claims as baseless during a lecture at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) of the National University of Singapore (NUS) on March 23. Additionally, the United States' recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory drew criticism from China, which insisted that the boundary issue between China and India should not involve Washington.
The latest release of names by the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs underscores China's efforts to assert control over disputed territories. The report indicates that translations of place names in foreign or minority languages must adhere to standards set by relevant Chinese authorities, as outlined in the State Council's regulations on geographical names issued in April 2022.
