US ‘recognises Arunachal as Indian territory’, opposes China’s claim
The US statement comes days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh following PM Modi’s visit to the north-eastern state
The United States recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and strongly opposes any attempts by China to advance its territorial claims across the Line of Actual Control, a senior Biden administration official has said.
This comes days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the north-eastern state.
US State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel, at his daily press conference on Wednesday (March 20), said, “The United States recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory, and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control.”
China’s claim
Earlier this week, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang said the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of China’s territory, and Beijing “never acknowledges and firmly opposes” the “so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India”.
China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, routinely objects to Indian leaders’ visits to the state to highlight its claims. Beijing has also named the area “Zangnan”.
MEA statement
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said it has noted the latest comments made by the Chinese spokesman “advancing absurd claims” over the territory of Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that the state “was, is and will always be” an integral and inalienable part of India.
India has repeatedly rejected China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of the country. New Delhi has also dismissed Beijing’s move to assign “invented” names to the area, saying it did not alter the reality.
On March 9, Prime Minister Modi dedicated to the nation the Sela Tunnel built at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh that will provide all-weather connectivity to strategically located Tawang and is expected to ensure better movement of troops along the frontier region.
(With agency inputs)
