China has strongly criticized the U.S. for meddling in its ongoing border disagreement with India, particularly after Washington declared its recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as part of Indian territory.
During a press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian voiced China's staunch opposition, saying, "China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this action. The boundary issue between China and India is bilateral and does not concern the U.S."
This response follows the U.S.'s rejection of China's unilateral efforts to assert territorial claims, which came amid tensions between New Delhi and Beijing after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.
The dispute highlights the escalating tensions between India and China, whose border stretches over 2,000 miles. China, referring to the region as Zangnan, asserts that Arunachal Pradesh is part of southern Tibet, a claim vehemently rejected by India, which maintains that Arunachal Pradesh has always been integral to its territory.
The U.S. State Department weighed in on the issue, saying, "The U.S. recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to assert territorial claims across the Line of Actual Control, whether military or civilian, by incursions or encroachments."
This stance underscores China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh, with Lin reaffirming, "Zangnan has always been China's territory, a basic fact that is undeniable," while also accusing the U.S. of exploiting conflicts for its own geopolitical gains.
Analysts view U.S. support for India as part of its broader alignment against China. Michael Kugelman, from the Wilson Center, noted, "The U.S. is signaling solidarity with India in its competition with China," a move consistent with recent efforts to assist India in deterring Chinese aggression along its northern border.
The latest tensions erupted after Modi inaugurated the "Sela Tunnel," triggering sharp responses from China. Border conflicts between India and China have escalated, with a deadly clash in 2020 and subsequent provocative actions such as China renaming 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh.
India has reiterated its firm stance on Arunachal Pradesh's sovereignty, dismissing China's claims as baseless. Harsh V. Pant from the Observer Research Foundation underscored the significance of U.S. support to CNBC, indicating the deepening ties between India and the U.S. as the latter openly stands with India, even on sensitive matters like the India-China border dispute.
