Team Blitz India
In a major diplomatic victory for India, and what is being considered a snub at China’s attempts to advance its territorial claims, the United States has affirmed that it recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory.
“The United States recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control,” said Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US Department of State.
He was answering a question on March 20 over China’s bizarre reaction to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Indian state. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that China “strongly deplores and firmly opposes” the PM’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
Tawang main interest
On March 9, PM Modi addressed the Viksit Bharat Viksit North East programme in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. He also inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth about Rs 55,600 crores in Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.
During the visit, PM Modi dedicated Sela Tunnel, an engineering marvel that incorporates safety features of the highest standards. It will provide allweather connectivity to Tawang and provide a faster and more efficient transport route in the region.
According to some reports, the Dragon’s main interest is in Tawang – which lies in the state’s northwestern region and shares international borders with Bhutan and Tibet. Incidentally, Tawang houses Tawang Ganden Namgyal Lhatse or Tawang Monastery – the second largest monastery of Tibetan Buddhism in the world.
No shred of evidence
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, responding to a question on PM Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, said “Zangnan area is Chinese territory”. India immediately rebuffed China’s unwarranted and unnecessary statement.
China has been claiming Arunachal Pradesh as its own and even released a ‘standard map’ last year showing it and the Aksai Chin region in Ladakh as part of its territory. Beijing, without a shred of evidence, says that it has been part of its territory ‘since ancient times’. It claims the entire Arunachal Pradesh as ‘South Tibet’, calling it ‘Zangnan’ in Chinese.
The Dragon started flexing its muscles after the current Communist Government took power in 1949. It backtracked on all treaties it deemed ‘unequal’ and even demanded that all its borders be reconsidered.
It has raised an issue with the Line of Actual Control – which separates Indian and Chinese territory. According to an Indian Express report, India pegs the LAC at 3,488 kilometres, while China says it is around 2,000 kilometres.
China has openly exhibited its intentions at encroachments into other lands too, including within the Indo-Pacific, particularly in places like Solomon Islands, and over Micronesia. A perpetual fear of invasion looms even over Taiwan.
