China renames 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh

Ground Report | New Delhi: China in Arunachal Pradesh; China has released a list of new names in Chinese, Tibetan, and Roman for 15 places in India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, The Indian Express reported. Earlier in 2017, China had changed the names of six places in Arunachal. India has rejected China's move saying it is unacceptable as Arunachal Pradesh is and always will be an integral part of India.

The English daily Global Times considered the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, published the news related to it on Thursday. According to the Global Times, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs announced on Wednesday that it has released the 15 place names of Zangnan (Chinese name of Arunachal Pradesh) in Chinese, Tibetan, and Roman.

China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as Southern Tibet. The two countries share a 3,500 km (2,174 mi) long border. No clear boundary line was drawn between Tibet and India until 1912. Neither the Mughals nor the British had control over these areas. The people of India and Tibet were also not sure of any clear boundary line.

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The British rulers also did not care about it. When the Buddhist temple was found in Tawang, the assessment of the boundary line started. In 1914, representatives of Tibet, China, and British India met in Shimla and the boundary line was determined.

China never considered Tibet an independent country. He did not accept it even in the Simla Agreement of 1914. In 1950, China completely took control of Tibet. China wanted Tawang to be a part of it, which is very important to Tibetan Buddhists.

Responding to China's latest move, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said: “We have seen such reports.

This is not the first time that China has attempted to change the names of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also demanded such names in April 2017. Arunachal Pradesh has always been and will be an integral part of India. Assigning names invented in Arunachal Pradesh does not change this fact."

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The eight residential areas in China's second batch of names are Songkezong and Guangzong in Cona County, Shannan Prefecture; Manigang, Duding and Migpen in Medog County of Nyingchi; Goling and Damba in Nyingchi's Zhyu County; and, Mejag in Lunze County, Shannan Prefecture, the Global Times reported.

The 3,488-km-long LAC is involved in the India-China border dispute, and Beijing regularly opposes visits of top Indian leaders and officials to Arunachal Pradesh to confirm its claim.

The four mountains are Wamo Ri, Dau Ri, Lhunjub Ri, and Kunming Xing Fang, it said. The report states that the two rivers are the Zenyogmo He and the Dulen He, and the mountain pass is named Se La.

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