S Jaishankar Junks China's 'Absurd Claims' In New Map
Calling the issuance of such maps China's "old habit", Jaishankar said the country routinely lays claim on foreign territories.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday that making absurd claims doesn't make others' territory one's own, as he junked China's territorial claims over parts of India and other regions following the release of a "new map".
The remarks came hours after China officially released the 2023 edition of its "standard map", incorporating the disputed areas—including its claims over Arunachal Pradesh, the Aksai Chin region, Taiwan, and the South China Sea.
"It is an old habit. China has put out maps claiming other countries' territories since (the) 1950s," Jaishankar said in an exclusive interview given as part of the G20 series to NDTV's Editor-In-Chief Sanjay Pugalia.
"The territories are part of India. We are very clear about our territories, and we will defend it. Just making absurd claims doesn't make others' territory yours," Jaishankar said.
India has repeatedly maintained its position that Arunachal Pradesh, along with the Aksai Chin region of Ladakh, is an integral and inalienable part of its territory.
India Lodges Strong Protest
Meanwhile, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India rejects these claims as they have no basis and that such steps by the Chinese side only "complicate" the resolution of the boundary question.
"We have today lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels with the Chinese side on the so-called 2023 'standard map' of China that lays claim to India's territory," he said.
"We reject these claims as they have no basis. Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question," he added.
Other than the Indian territories, the Chinese map also incorporates Taiwan and islands in the disputed South China Sea as part of the 'nine-dash line'.
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its mainland, and its integration with the mainland is part of a vowed objective of President Xi Jinping.
Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan have counterclaims over the resource-rich South China Sea region.
