China Responds To India's Objection Over 'Standard Map' Including Arunachal

China responded on Wednesday following India's strong objection to Beijing's inclusion of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region in its "standard map."

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the release of the 2023 edition of China's standard map constitutes a routine display of sovereignty within legal parameters. The ministry emphasized that the matter should be approached with objectivity and not blown out of proportion.

India strongly protested China's assertion of territorial rights over Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region using what it calls a "standard map." The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that these actions further complicate the resolution of the border dispute and dismissed the claims as unfounded.

Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the MEA, conveyed the nation's strong dissent through diplomatic channels, denouncing China's "standard map" and its claims over Indian territory. Bagchi underscored that such actions hinder the progress toward resolving the boundary issue.

India's response followed China's official release of the 2023 version of its "standard map," in which it asserted ownership of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin, as well as including Taiwan and the contested South China Sea under its jurisdiction.

Furthermore, India's Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, dismissed China's claims and emphasized that merely making "absurd claims" does not grant ownership over others' territories. He noted that China has previously presented maps that falsely included territories belonging to other countries. Jaishankar highlighted that such practices date back to the 1950s, asserting that these territories are an integral part of India and cannot be claimed by China based on maps alone.