China asks India to not 'over-interpret' latest 'distorted' map release
China releases new map
Days after releasing a contentious map showing India's Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of its sovereign territory, China has justified the move by saying India should refrain from 'over-interpreting' the exercise.
“On August 28, the ministry of natural resources of China released the 2023 edition of the standard map. It is a routine practice in China’s exercise of sovereignty in accordance with the law. We hope relevant sides can stay objective and calm, and refrain from over-interpreting the issue,” Wang Wenbin, Chineseforeign ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying when asked about India’s protest.
Notably, New Delhi outrightly rejected the map, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishnkar pointing out that it wasn't the first time China had come out with a similar move.
"It's an old habit of theirs. These (territories) are very much part of India. This government is very clear what our territories are. Making absurd claims doesn't make others territories yours," the minister was quoted as saying by NDTV.
The release of the map came a few days after PM Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Johannesburg during the BRICS summit. With Xi expected to visit India for the G20 summit next week, the release of the map is expected to increase tension between the two parties.
Watch |New China map show whole of Arunachal Pradesh as part of China
China releases map
Over the weekend, Beijing released its official 'standard map' wherein apart from Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin, it showed Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea as part of the Chinese territory.
The Chinese government's mouthpiece Global Times took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the 'distorted' map, claiming it has been "compiled based on the drawing method of the national boundaries of China and various countries in the world."
"The 2023 edition of China's standard map was officially released on Monday and launched on the website of the standard map service hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources," read the post.
Beijing considers Arunachal Pradesha part of its sovereign borders and calls the state “Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet". It disputes the legality of the McMahon Line which was agreed upon at the Simla Convention of 1914 between Tibet and British India.
Meanwhile, the dispute of Aksai Chin can be traced back to the British imperialistswho failed to clearly demarcate the border between India and China. Currently, the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where the two countries have been locked in a tussle for over two years now, separates Indian areas of Jammu & Kashmir from Aksai Chin.
(With inputs from agencies)
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