India strongly reacts to reported Chinese claim on Arunachal

NEW DELHI: India on Saturday reacted strongly to reports that China has in its recent map shown Arunachal Pradesh as its territory and stated “cartographic depiction” does not change reality on the ground. Delhi has asserted that Arunachal was an integral part of the country and indicated that the matter might be raised by India during vice-president Hamid Ansari’s ongoing China trip.

Ansari is participating in an event to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Panchsheel or Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. MEA spokesperson said: “The cartographic depictions do not change the reality on the ground. The fact that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India has been conveyed to the Chinese authority on several occasions, including at the very highest level.” According to some media reports, China in its recent maps has shown disputed areas in Arunachal and South China Sea as its own.