China advises India to remain calm amidst controversial map dispute

China has responded to India’s objections over a new Chinese map that includes Indian territory by urging India to maintain composure. India raised concerns after Beijing released a map depicting the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai Chin plateau as part of China’s territory.

In response, Beijing suggested that neighboring countries should avoid “over-interpreting” the matter, as reported by the BBC.

Meanwhile, there are reports in the media suggesting that Chinese President Xi Jinping may not attend the upcoming G20 leaders’ talks in Delhi. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Premier Li Quang may represent China instead. While Mr. Xi had previously confirmed his plans to attend the meeting from September 9-10, China’s foreign ministry did not confirm his attendance during a regular press briefing on Thursday. The BBC could not independently verify this claim.

India is not the only nation to object to the map. On Thursday, the Philippines and Malaysia also protested against China’s territorial claims over most of the South China Sea as depicted on the map. Taiwan, which China regards as a breakaway province destined to be under Beijing’s control, also voiced its objection to being included on the map.

Additionally, a politician from Nepal canceled a visit to China, citing the new map’s failure to acknowledge Nepal’s revised map, which has already strained relations with India.

This escalation over China’s 2023 national map comes shortly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping held talks on the sidelines of the Brics summit in South Africa. India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar labeled China’s claim as “absurd,” and an Indian official noted that both countries had agreed to “intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation” along the disputed border.

China, however, indicated on Thursday that it was standing firm on the map issue. The disputed border remains a long-standing source of tension between the two countries.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated, “It is a routine practice in China’s exercise of sovereignty in accordance with the law. We hope relevant sides can stay objective and calm, and refrain from over-interpreting the issue.”

The border dispute between India and China centers around a poorly demarcated 3,440km (2,100 mile)-long de facto border in the Himalayas known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Both sides have conflicting claims over regions within this border, with China referring to the entirety of Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet,” a claim strongly rejected by India. India, on the other hand, claims the Aksai Chin plateau, which is currently under Chinese control.

Tensions between the two countries have escalated since 2020 when their troops were involved in a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, marking the first fatal confrontation since 1975.