BEIJING - The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday firmly asserted that the Zangnan region is an inherent part of China's territory, dismissing India's claims over the area and defending Beijing's recent standardization of geographical names.
Speaking at a press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that China has never recognized the "so-called 'Arunachal Pradesh' illegally set up by India." The comments come in response to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, which on Sunday rejected China's latest administrative actions.
Guo emphasized that the move to standardize names in the region falls entirely within the scope of China's sovereignty. This follows the April 10 release of the sixth batch of standardized names for locations in Zangnan.
Responding to India's claims that such actions undermine efforts to stabilize bilateral ties, Guo maintained that the administrative update is a domestic matter based on historical and legal precedents.
Despite the verbal sparring over the border region, Beijing signaled a desire to maintain a constructive path forward. Guo highlighted the following points regarding the current state of affairs:
General Stability: China-India relations are currently viewed as "generally stable."
Consistent Policy: China's commitment to improving and developing relations with India remains "unchanged."
Mutual Effort: Beijing expressed hope that both nations will "meet each other halfway" to foster a more positive bilateral environment.
"We hope the two sides will do more things that are conducive to bilateral relations," Guo added, urging a focus on cooperation rather than territorial friction.
The Zangnan region has long been a point of contention between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. India continues to protest China's practice of renaming locations in the area, while China maintains that it is simply exercising its right to regulate its own territory. This latest exchange highlights the delicate balancing act both nations face as they attempt to manage border sensitivities while pursuing broader diplomatic stability.
