China renames places in Arunachal Pradesh, India says creative naming in vain

India categorically rejects China's attempt to rename places along the border. Beijing has been rechristening places in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The fifth such list was released with 27 names by the Minister of Civil Affairs (MCA) on May 11.

WATCH | India firmly rejects China's renaming of 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh

In response to the country's attempt to claim places by renaming, India's MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said, "We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh."

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"Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically. Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India," he further added.

China refers to India's Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan. The ministry that issued the latest list, MCA,was quoted in news outlet South China Morning Post, "In accordance with the relevant provisions of the State Council on the management of geographical names, we in conjunction with the relevant departments have standardised some of the geographical names in Zangnan of China."

When China released it's fourth list, India's External Affair's Minister, S. Jaishankar, said, "If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be a state of India. Changing names does not have an effect."

Further adding, "Our army is deployed at the Line of Actual Control, they know what is to be done."