China now raises heat on Arunachal Pradesh
China has announced official Chinese names for places in Arunachal Pradesh.
- It uses “standardised” names for 15 places (including residential areas, mountains, rivers, etc.). Also, their exact coordinates and maps have also been determined.
- Arunachal Pradesh is depicted in Chinese maps as “Zangnan” or “South Tibet”.
- This latest list comes ahead of a new border security law. This law will come into effect from January 1, 2022. The legislation sets out the responsibilities of guarding the borders for various agencies in China, from the military to local authorities.
- In response, India said Beijing’s move cannot change the fact that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
- The 3488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) is involved in the India-China border dispute.
The border is divided into three areas:
- Western Zone: This is related to the Johnson Line proposed by the British in the 1860s. Under this, Aksai Chin was considered a part of the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. However, China does not accept the Johnson Line.
- Central Zone: This is the only region where India and China have exchanged maps of generally agreed areas.
- Eastern Zone: There is a dispute over the McMahon Line in this area.
Source – The Hindu
