Fresh spat between India and China after latter's renaming of places/ENG

2017. április 23./Phayul.com/TibetPress

eredeti cikk

By Tenzin Monlam

DHARAMSHALA, April 23: A fresh war of words have brewed between India and China following the latter’s renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh through its newest bid to lay claim on the region.

India has responded saying that renaming or inventing names for towns of neighbor does not make Beijing's territorial claims legal. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay, said, "Assigning invented names to towns of your neighbor does not make illegal territorial claims legal. Arunachal Pradesh is and will always be an integral part of India."

However, Beijing on Sunday dismissed India’s response saying that it was ‘lawful right’ since the region, ‘Southern Tibet’, ‘historically’ belonged to China. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said that China’s position on the eastern section of the India-China boundary is clear and consistent. “Relevant names have been used by ethnic Momba and Tibetan Chinese who have lived here for generations. So it is a fact that cannot be changed. To standardize these names and publicize them is a legitimate measure based on our lawful right,” he said.

On April 13, China had named six places in the region it claims as Southern Tibet. The official names of the six places as per the announcement made by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on April 13 are Wo'gyainling, Mila Ri, Qoidêngarbo Ri, Mainquka, Bümo La and Namkapub Ri.

According to experts, most of the renamed places have links to the exile Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama including Urgyenling, the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso.

Despite having over 18 border talks between the two nations the disputed border region still remains a bone of contention between the two.