China has no claim over Arunachal, says Arunachal CM
On China’s attempts to release new maps showing Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, or naming mountain peaks, and towns, etc, Khandu said: “Such claim (s) have no meaning.”
Tawang: China has no claim over Arunachal Pradesh as the state has been and will always be part of India, chief minister Pema Khandu said on Friday, amid Beijing’s aggressive posture at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for the past four years and its recent renaming of the northeastern state as Zangnan.
There is no historical evidence of Arunachal Pradesh ever being part of China, Khandu asserted.
“Arunachal Pradesh has been and will always be part of India. China coming up with invented names here doesn’t mean it has a claim over it. There are no records in history to say that Arunachal Pradesh was ever part of China,” Khandu told HT on the sidelines of the 36th Senior National Tug of War Championship in the picturesque town of Tawang, barely 25 km from the LAC.
On China’s attempts to release new maps showing Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, or naming mountain peaks, and towns, etc, Khandu said: “Such claim (s) have no meaning.”
“Anyway, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) is handling these issues appropriately,” he added.
Around 330-400 Chinese troops had on December 9 last year tried to cross the LAC in Tawang with a motive to unilaterally change the status quo, but they were forced back by Indian soldiers. Soldiers from both countries suffered injuries in the clash. The June 2020 standoff between Indian and Chinese PLA troops in Galwan valley in the western sector took bilateral relations to an all-time low.
Since then, Indian forces have strengthened their presence at the LAC, including in Tawang, which has seen construction of roads, tunnels and bridges for faster movement of deployment.
Local officials in Tawang, requesting anonymity, said a key two-lane tunnel at Sela Pass at the height of 13,000 feet is almost ready and likely to be inaugurated soon. The tunnel will allow faster movement of troops and weapons near the border, officials added.
Khandu also slammed China for refusing visas to three Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh for Asian Games in Hangzhou, adding that the state government has decided to give ₹20 lakh each as a policy to reward anyone from the state participating in international competitions.
“China tries to bring a political angle to everything. Since they were selected for the Asian Games and could not go [for] no fault of theirs, we have decided to compensate them,” Khandu said. “The state government will ensure that these three players will get the best training for their preparation for the 2026 Asian Games to be held in Japan so that they can bring laurels.”
The three Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh — Onilu Tega, Nyeman Wangsu and Mepung Lamgu — were selected to represent India in the ongoing Asian Games but China gave them stapled visa leading to cancellation of their visit.
Welcoming the players participating the national tug of war competition, Khandu said Arunachal Pradesh is rich in biodiversity with 80% area covered by forests. “It is a very beautiful state with clean air and tourists are most welcome to the state,” he said.
The chief minister also said it is an attractive destination for adventure tourism like river rafting. He added that the state has seen an all-round development with support from the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.