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The Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the United States Department of State, Vedant Patel, said in a daily press conference at the White House on Wednesday (March 20) that Washington recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory. The official added that the US also condemns any “unilateral attempts” made by China to gain ground on its territorial claims through any kind of military or civilian incursion or infiltration beyond the LAC (Line of Actual Control).
PM Modi visits Arunachal Pradesh
The statement given by the US senior official came as a retort after China reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, which the Chinese military recognizes as ‘Zangnan’. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Arunachal Pradesh on March 9 to inaugurate the Sela Tunnel, the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel at 13,000 feet that ensures all-weather connectivity between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and better movement of troops along the border area. The tunnel is said to enhance the military readiness of the country.
China objects to PM’s visit and claims Arunachal Pradesh as its territory
Days after PM Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, in a report posted on the website of the Chinese Defense Ministry on March 15, their spokesperson, Senior Colonel Zhang Ziogang asserted the southern part of Tibet (also known as Xizang in Chinese) as an inherent part of China’s territory. It declared that Beijing has never acknowledged and has always strongly opposed the “so-called Arunachal Pradesh” which they alleged India has illegally occupied.
China’s plan of provoking India
China’s repetitive claims under the communist government of Xi Jinping over Arunachal Pradesh and parts of East Ladakh as Chinese territory and objections to Indian political leaders’ visits to those places are part of Beijing’s plan to keep a trail of its territorial claims as well as provoke India intentionally.
Response from MEA
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the (MEA) Ministry of External Affairs in India, however, rejected China’s territorial claim as “absurd” and restated that Arunachal Pradesh “was, is, and will be an integral and inalienable part of India”. He added that by repeating “baseless arguments” in this manner the false Chinese claims are not going to gain any kind of validation
Response of Union Minister of Earth Sciences
Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Earth Sciences and Food Processing Industries in the Government of India and a three-time MP (Member of Parliament) in the Lok Sabha from Arunachal Pradesh, firmly opposed the Chinese claim of the concerned state being its territory on Wednesday (March 20). He said that historically there has been no linkage between Arunachal Pradesh and the People’s Republic of China and that the state has always been an integral part of India.
Responding to China’s objection to PM Modi visiting the state Rijiju said that the Prime Minister, any agency belonging to the central government as well as any citizen of the country can visit any part of the northeastern state as it is an integral part of the Indian Union.
India’s diplomatic strategy over conflict with China
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on the other hand, has been increasing India’s engagement with its allies in Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines and Taiwan, an East Asian country that also is currently in conflict with China.
China hits back on US comments
On Thursday, March 21, China condemned the statement given by US official Vedant Patel on China’s territorial claims and asserting Arunachal Pradesh as an Indian territory. Lin Jian, Deputy Director General of the Chinese Foreign Ministry told the Chinese media that Washington has nothing to do with the border conflict between India and China. He also accused the US of generating and using other countries’ disputes for the sake of its diplomatic benefits.
