New Delhi: A peeved India lodged a strong protest today with China over issuance of a map which shows entire Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of its territory and said such actions by Beijing “complicate the resolution of the boundary question”.
Significantly, China has issued the controversial map just days before the G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi for which its President Xi Jinping is expected to travel here.
In the ‘standard map’ 2023, Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing erroneously describes as ‘South Tibet’, is shown as part of Chinese territory.
The map also shows Aksai Chin, a part of Ladakh which was ceded to China by Pakistan, as Chinese territory.
“We reject these claims as they have no basis,” said spokesman of India’s External Affairs Ministry Arindam Bagchi in response to media queries over the issue.
“We have today lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels with the Chinese side on the so-called 2023 ‘standard map’ of China that lays claim to India’s territory,” he said.
Bagchi added that, “Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question.”
