In a recent development, China has expressed its disapproval of the United States and India's assertion that the Arunachal Pradesh territory is part of India. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, voiced China's strong opposition to Indian Prime Minister Modi's visit to the eastern section of the China-India boundary.
The U.S. Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Vedant Patel, shared his perspective on this issue during a Q&A panel. He stated, "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." Patel's statement was in response to China's territorial ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region which are seen as an attempt to diminish the influence of the United States in this rapidly growing area with one of the fastest-growing economies globally.
In response to the United States' recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory, Lin Jian, another Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said, "China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this. The China-India boundary has never been delimited. Zangnan has always been China’s territory, a basic fact that is undeniable. The China-India boundary question is a matter between the two countries and has nothing to do with the US side. It is known to all that the US has consistently spared no efforts to provoke and take advantage of other countries’ conflicts to serve its selfish geopolitical interests." This statement highlights that despite India's longstanding claim over this territory, disputes over boundaries remain unresolved.
The support extended by the United States towards India adds another layer of tension between China and America who already have differing viewpoints on Taiwan's independence. Over the past decade, disagreements between India and China regarding their shared border have escalated significantly. This was evidenced in 2020 when 20 Indian soldiers and 4 Chinese soldiers lost their lives in a conflict along the border.
