(VitalNews.org) – The United States rejected China’s attempts to claim Arunachal Pradesh and called it a “unilateral attempt” to claim territory.
This claim and denial come amongst tensions between India and China, who share a border. China recently made a claim on Arunachal Pradesh saying that it is a part of Southern Tibet, but India has denied this saying that Arunachal Pradesh was always a part of India.
“The United States recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control,” said a spokesperson.
The Wilson Center’s Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute, spoke out saying that the United States doesn’t usually interfere in Indian border disputes, but this time they are chiming in to make it clear they are on India’s side.
Some said that the United States taking a stand with India shows just how far the U.S. – India relationship has come.
What sparked China to speak on ownership of the land was that India built the world’s largest bi-lane tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh. Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, who is a part of China’s Ministry of National Defense said “China never recognizes and firmly opposes India’s illegal establishment of the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh.’”
China and India have had tension for years, with the most recent large escalation resulting in losses on both sides.
China just recently spoke out again reclaiming the territory. India’s Foreign Ministry responded by saying that “Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.”
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