On Monday, China officially unveiled its 2023 edition of the “standard map,” which notably encompasses disputed regions such as Arunachal Pradesh, the Aksai Chin region, Taiwan, and the contentious South China Sea. India has consistently asserted that Arunachal Pradesh remains an integral part of the nation, with a government spokesperson stating, “Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
The release of the updated map was announced through a post on X (formerly Twitter), and the map was made available on the Ministry of Natural Resources’ standard map service website. The post explained that the map was compiled using a method that accounts for national boundaries between China and various other countries around the world.
The Global Times’ representation of the map included areas such as Arunachal Pradesh, referred to by China as South Tibet, and the Aksai Chin, which China occupied during the 1962 conflict. Additionally, the map reflects China’s claims over Taiwan and the expansive nine-dash line assertion covering a significant portion of the South China Sea.
China’s ambition to integrate Taiwan with the mainland aligns with President Xi Jinping’s stated goals. However, the South China Sea claims have prompted conflicting counterclaims from other nations, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan itself.
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