'Arunachal Pradesh Is Indian Territory', Says US Days After China's Claim

The United States recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and strongly opposes any unilateral attempts by China to advance its territorial claims across the Line of Actual Control, a senior Biden administration official said on Wednesday. It is to be noted that the development comes just days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim to the state following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit there.

According to Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, “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”.

Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for China’s Defence Ministry, stated earlier this week that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of Chinese territory. He stated that Beijing never acknowledged and strongly opposed India’s so-called Arunachal Pradesh, which was “illegally” established.

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China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, frequently objects to Indian leaders visiting the state to highlight its claims. Beijing has also named the area Zangnan.

On March 9, Prime Minister Modi dedicated to the nation the Sela Tunnel built at an elevation of 13,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh, which will provide all-weather connectivity to strategically located Tawang and is expected to improve troop movement along the border region.

India has repeatedly rejected China’s territorial claims to Arunachal Pradesh, claiming that the state is an integral part of the country. New Delhi has also dismissed Beijing’s decision to give the area invented names, claiming that it did not change the reality.

The Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday that it had taken note of the latest comments made by the Chinese Defence Ministry’s spokesperson 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.