China Releases New Names For Arunachal Pradesh Locations After EAM Jaishankar Dismissed Claims As 'Ludicruous'

China has released a fourth list comprising 30 new names for various places in Arunachal Pradesh, as part of its continued efforts to assert its claim over the Indian state as per a report by The Indian Express.

India has consistently rejected China's practice of renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh, reiterating that the state is an integral part of India and that assigning "invented" names does not change this fact.

The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs published the latest list of standardised geographical names in 'Zangnan,' the Chinese term for Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing considers as part of south Tibet.

The list was posted on the ministry's official website and is set to take effect from 1 May.

China had previously released three lists of standardised names for places in Arunachal Pradesh, with the first list of six places issued in 2017, followed by a list of 15 places in 2021, and another list of 11 places in 2023.

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Chinese authorities have issued several statements reaffirming China's claims over the region, including protests against the US statement recognising Arunachal Pradesh as part of Indian territory.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar dismissed China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh as "ludicrous," stating that the state is a natural part of India. He emphasised that the boundary issue between China and India would be addressed through bilateral discussions.