Shillong, September 3: China has urged India to remain composed in the midst of a controversy surrounding a new Chinese map that India asserts lays claim to its territory, as reported by the media.
As per IANS, India voiced its objections after Beijing unveiled a map that designates Arunachal Pradesh and the contested Aksai Chin region as Chinese territory, as per BBC reports.
In response, Beijing has cautioned its neighbors against “over-interpreting” the matter, according to the same report.
In other news, there are indications that Chinese President Xi Jinping may opt to skip the upcoming G20 summit scheduled for Delhi. Media sources suggest that Premier Li Quang is likely to represent China instead.
Xi had previously confirmed his intention to attend the meeting set for September 9-10 in Delhi. However, China’s Foreign Ministry refrained from confirming his attendance during a routine press briefing on Thursday.
This escalation surrounding the 2023 edition of China’s standard national map follows discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi at the recent Brics summit in South Africa, as reported by BBC.
India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, labeled China’s territorial claim as “absurd.” Subsequently, an Indian official revealed that both nations had agreed to “intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation” along their disputed border.
China’s Foreign Ministry has called upon relevant parties to maintain objectivity and avoid over-interpreting China’s new 2023 standard national map, following India’s strong protest over boundary delineations, as reported by Global Times.
China’s Ministry of Natural Resources released the 2023 edition of the standard national map, prompting dissatisfaction from India due to ongoing boundary disputes.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin emphasized during a routine press briefing 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, refraining from reading too much into the matter,” the spokesperson emphasized, as reported by Global Times.