Diplomatic Stir as China's New Map Claims Arunachal Pradesh

 China has released its updated “standard map” for 2023, drawing controversy by incorporating disputed territories like Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin, Taiwan, and the South China Sea. Published through the Ministry of Natural Resources’ map service website on August 28, the map presents China’s geopolitical perspective, sparking diplomatic concerns and exacerbating existing disputes with neighboring nations. The inclusion of regions like Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin has especially raised tensions between China and India.

Of significance, the map asserts Taiwan’s status as part of China, intensifying friction between the two. The map’s contentious nine-dash line additionally claims a significant section of the South China Sea as Chinese territory, opposed by countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.

The map’s release just before the G20 summit hosted by India, attended by leaders like US President Joe Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and China’s Xi Jinping, heightens diplomatic apprehensions. This move follows a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS Summit, where both leaders agreed to disengagement efforts along the Line of Actual Control.

China’s endeavors to assert claims over Arunachal Pradesh include renaming locations and expanding infrastructure, leading to India’s strong opposition. Arunachal Pradesh’s strategic importance, bordering China, Myanmar, and Bhutan, coupled with its natural resources, explains China’s repeated efforts to control the region.