Strongly oppose any unilateral attempts: US backs India after China renames 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh

The United States has reacted after China renamed 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as South Tibet.

In a statement, the White House said that the United States has recognised Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India and strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities.

China on Tuesday announced Chinese names for 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh, which the neighbouring country claims as the southern part of Tibet. The official names of the 11 places were released on Sunday by China’s Ministry of civil affairs.

The changed names include that of mountain peaks, rivers and residential areas.

This was the third time China has unilaterally renamed places in Arunachal Pradesh, having done it in April 2017, and in December 2021.

STRONGLY OPPOSE ANY UNILATERAL ATTEMPTS, SAYS US
“The United States has recognised that territory (Arunachal Pradesh) for a long time (as an integral part of India). And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.

“And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference.

INDIA’s STRONG REACTION TO CHINA’s CLAIM

Meanwhile, reacting to China’s claims, India outrightly rejected Beijing’s step of renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly asserted that the state is an integral part of India and assigning ‘invented’ names does not alter this reality.

“We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

“Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality,” he said. It was the third batch of standardised geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh issued by China’s civil affairs ministry.

China’s renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh comes at a time when both countries are locked in a border dispute in eastern Ladakh that began in May 2020.

Following the standoff, India bolstered its overall military preparedness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh sector as well.

The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a nearly three-year-long confrontation at certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement of troops from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

India has been maintaining that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.