China's Map Sparks Ire: India Raises Protests Against Territorial Claims

By IndraStra Global News Team

In a move that has ratcheted up tensions between the neighboring Asian giants, India lodged a "strong protest" with China following the release of the 2023 edition of China's standard map. The map, unveiled by Beijing on Monday, asserts territorial claims over regions that have long been contested, including Aksai Chin in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India.
China's Ministry of Natural Resources published the map on its standard map service website, leading to a swift response from India. This comes just days after both nations expressed their commitment to de-escalate tensions along their disputed border. The map also boldly marks Taiwan and the South China Sea as Chinese territory, further exacerbating regional sensitivities.

India's Ministry of External Affairs promptly reached out to their Chinese counterparts to register their objections to the cartographic assertions. Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi emphasized, "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."
The timing of this release is noteworthy as it precedes the G20 summit, scheduled to be hosted by India in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. The summit is anticipated to see the presence of global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This development follows a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during a BRICS summit in South Africa, where both leaders publicly committed to easing border tensions. The diplomatic agreement was heralded as a positive step towards improved relations between the two countries.
The long-standing border dispute between India and China hinges on their ill-defined border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), spanning over 3,500 kilometers from Ladakh in the northwest to Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast. The LAC was never definitively delineated during India's colonial past, leading to ongoing conflicts.
The 1962 war between India and China marked a significant escalation in the dispute, with China claiming control over 38,000 square kilometers of Aksai Chin. India contests China's claims and continues to assert sovereignty over the region. Similarly, China maintains its stance on Arunachal Pradesh, considering it part of its territory.
Despite numerous dialogues and diplomatic efforts, tensions have persisted. The violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh in 2020 further strained relations. Efforts to resolve the conflict through diplomatic channels have yielded limited results.
India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, commented on China's territorial claims, labeling them an "old habit." He reiterated India's clear stance on its territories and rebuffed China's assertions. "Making absurd claims doesn't make others' territories yours," Jaishankar asserted in an interview.
Analysts suggest that China's occupation of approximately 2,000 square kilometers of Indian territory remains a major point of contention. Congress leader Manish Tewari called on India's government to reevaluate its approach toward hosting Xi Jinping at the G20 summit given the ongoing territorial disputes. Tewari remarked, "Whether it would be in accordance with India's self-respect to be feting a person in Delhi, Xi Jinping, who is in illegal occupation of 2,000 square kilometers of Indian territory."
As the international community watches closely, the release of China's controversial map threatens to deepen the existing fault lines between the two Asian giants. The upcoming G20 summit may provide a platform for further dialogue, but the recent territorial provocations cast a shadow over the prospects of a swift resolution to the long-standing dispute.

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