Amid fresh concerns over China’s administrative actions near sensitive border regions, India on Sunday strongly rejected Beijing’s move to assign what it described as “fictitious names” to locations in Indian territory.
Responding to media queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi “categorically rejects any mischievous attempts by the Chinese side to assign fictitious names to places which form part of the territory of India”.
The statement comes after China’s recent creation of a new county in its Xinjiang province, located close to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the Afghanistan border, as well as its continued assertions over Arunachal Pradesh.
‘China should refrain…’
MEA stressed that such actions would not change the status of Indian territory. “These attempts by China at introducing false claims and manufacturing baseless narratives cannot alter the undeniable reality that these places and territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” the statement read.
The ministry also warned that Beijing’s moves risk undermining ongoing efforts to stabilise bilateral ties. “These actions detract from efforts to normalise India-China relations. China should refrain from steps that inject negativity and hinder mutual understanding,” MEA said.
China establishes new county
According to reports, China has established a new county named Cenling in Xinjiang, near the Karakoram range and in proximity to both PoK and Afghanistan. The move is seen as part of efforts to tighten security along the strategic Wakhan Corridor and curb infiltration by Uyghur separatist militants.
This marks the third such county created by China in Xinjiang in just over a year.
India had earlier lodged a protest over the creation of Hean and Hekang counties, noting that parts of their jurisdiction overlap with areas in Ladakh, including the disputed Aksai Chin plateau.