Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Dr S Jaishankar firmly rebuked China’s attempt to assert control over Arunachal Pradesh, asserting upon the region’s integral status within Bharat.
“I strongly condemn China’s illegally standardised geographical names given to 30 places inside Arunachal Pradesh. China has been making all baseless claims but that’s not going to change the ground reality and the historical facts,” Rijiju asserted, reaffirming Arunachal Pradesh’s inseparable connection to Bharat.
On a social media post, he wrote, “Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable part of Bharat, and the people of Arunachal Pradesh are supremely patriotic Indians by all standards and definitions.”
Dr Jaishankar echoed this sentiment, labelling China’s assertions as “ludicrous” and accentuating Arunachal Pradesh’s inherent position as a “natural part of Bharat.” He noted that China’s objections and renaming efforts are not new, indicating Bharat’s enduring stance on the issue.
The External Affairs Ministry condemned China’s actions, denouncing the renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh as “senseless.” In a statement, the ministry reiterated Bharat’s unwavering commitment to the region’s integral status, rejecting China’s attempts to alter the ground reality.
“Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of Bharat,” the ministry asserted firmly, countering China’s claims with resolute opposition.
China’s Civil Affairs Ministry released a list of standardised geographical names for the region, known as Zangnan in Chinese, which Beijing considers part of south Tibet. However, Bharat reaffirmed its stance on Arunachal Pradesh, emphasising its historical and constitutional integration within the Indian union.
China’s persistent provocations regarding Arunachal Pradesh coincide with its own declining economic and political stature under Xi Jinping’s leadership. While China’s Belt and Road Initiative or BRI faces failure and withdrawals from countries like Italy, Bharat, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has seen steady economic and political growth, positioning itself to counter coercive powers such as China on the global stage.
These provocations also serve to fuel Opposition voices within Bharat, who seek to push the Modi Government towards confrontation with the People’s Liberation Army or PLA for political gain rather than genuine nationalistic concerns.
Behind China’s aggressive stance lies a deeper economic crisis, evidenced by recent stock market declines and significant state interventions exceeding RMB 400 billion. This intervention mirrors similar efforts in 2015, totalling RMB 900 billion, to stabilise a faltering stock market.
Additionally, China’s mounting debt through the BRI, nearing a trillion US dollars, has left debtor nations like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and others unable to repay loans, forcing them to cede state equity or negotiate debt relief.
With projected growth at a modest five per cent and increasing international scrutiny of its coercive tactics, China faces mounting challenges, while Bharat’s steady ascent underscores its growing influence on the global stage.
