China has renamed locations in Arunachal Pradesh unilaterally three times, most recently in December 2021 and again in April 2017.
Beijing has once again sparked controversy by renaming 11 locations in Arunachal Pradesh that it claims are South Tibet, while India and China remain embroiled in a tense border impasse over several friction sites in eastern Ladakh. The changed names include mountain peaks, rivers and residential areas.
China's Ministry of Civil Affairs reportedly "standardised the names of 11 places in Zangnan (southern part of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region) in Chinese characters," according to the government-run Global Times.
It implies that starting today, names of locations on Chinese maps will also be available in Pinyin, which is the common romanization of Mandarin characters.
(Also Read: Apple layoff: iPhone maker plans to layoff corporate retail teams, offers 4 months of severance pay)
New Delhi, which has frequently asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an essential component of India, is anticipated to respond strongly to China's most recent action.
Dispute in Ladakh
Since the People's Liberation Army attempted to alter the local status quo, India and China have been involved in a high-tension border dispute in eastern Ladakh since May 2020. The Galwan clash, in which India lost 20 valiant warriors, had simmered tensions between the Asian superpowers.
Following the conflict in Galwan, China and India staged a number of high-level military and diplomatic meetings to try and ease the tensions along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Following lengthy discussions, both nations resolved to withdraw their soldiers from several flashpoints in the region.
India and China have been unable to come to an agreement on some areas in eastern Ladakh, despite having "smooth communication on boundary-related problems through diplomatic and military channels," according to the nuclear-armed nations.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Representational Image")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}