India on Tuesday lodged a “strong protest” with China over the publication of a new map that was released by the Chinese government on August 28, showing all of Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin, and other parts of Indian territory within its borders, that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called “absurd claims”. The map, that has in the past claimed Indian territories as well, was published just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and discussed resolving the boundary situation.
“We reject these claims as they have no basis. Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson in a statement, responding to media queries. The spokesperson said that India has lodged “a strong protest through diplomatic channels” with the Chinese side on the so-called 2023 “standard map” that was released by the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources. According to Chinese state media, the map was released during what is being called “National Mapping Awareness Publicity Week” in China, and would be followed by other digital and navigational maps.
The publication of the map was met with outrage by experts on social media, and criticised by the Opposition Congress party. Speaking to NDTV, Mr. Jaishankar, who served as Ambassador to China (2009 to 2013) said that this was an “old habit” of the Chinese government.
