China, India Clash Over Naming of Disputed Himalayan Territory

(MENAFN) China has reaffirmed its position that it has the authority to name locations in a disputed Himalayan area it refers to as Zangnan, following India’s rejection of recently issued Chinese names for places it considers part of its territory, according to reports.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, as cited by state media, stated that “Zangnan is China’s territory, and China has never recognized the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India.”

The region, known as Arunachal Pradesh in India, is a long-standing territorial dispute between the two countries, with both sides claiming sovereignty over the mountainous area in the eastern Himalayas.

China recently released a sixth batch of official names for locations in the contested region, prompting renewed diplomatic friction.

At a regular briefing in Beijing, a foreign ministry spokesperson described relations between the two countries as “generally stable” and said China’s broader approach toward improving ties with India remains unchanged, according to reports.

He also expressed hope that both sides would “meet each other halfway and do more things that are conducive to bilateral relations.”

India, meanwhile, has urged China to avoid actions that “inject negativity into relations and undermine efforts to create a better understanding,” according to reports.

Despite recent attempts to ease tensions in 2024, relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remain sensitive, especially after deadly border clashes along their de facto boundary in 2020.

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