China Urges India to Remain Calm Amidst Map Dispute
New Delhi, September 3: China has advised India to “stay calm” in response to a new Chinese map that India claims lays territorial claims, according to a report by BBC.
India raised objections after Beijing unveiled a map designating Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai Chin region as Chinese territory.
In response, Beijing has called on its neighbors to avoid “over-interpreting” the issue, as reported by the BBC.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping may skip the upcoming G20 summit scheduled for next week in Delhi. It is suggested that Premier Li Quang will attend in his place.
Although Xi had previously confirmed his attendance for the meeting on September 9-10, China’s Foreign Ministry did not confirm his participation during a regular press briefing on Thursday.
This escalation over the 2023 edition of China’s standard national map follows a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the Brics summit in South Africa, as reported by the BBC.
India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, described China’s claim as “absurd.” After the meeting, an Indian official stated that both countries had agreed to “intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation” along the disputed border.
China’s Ministry of Natural Resources released the 2023 edition of the standard national map on Monday, which led to India’s dissatisfaction due to ongoing boundary disputes.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated during a routine press briefing on Wednesday that releasing the new standard national map “is a routine practice in China’s exercise of sovereignty in accordance with the law.”
“We hope relevant parties can maintain objectivity and composure and refrain from over-interpreting the issue,” the spokesperson added, as reported by the Global Times.
