Jammu, 14 April (H.S.): BJP spokesperson and convenor, International Affairs, Gaurav Gupta today strongly criticized China over its reported move to create and rename administrative regions near Arunachal Pradesh and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, terming Beijing a “repeated offender” engaged in attempts to alter geographical realities to suit its expansionist agenda.

Reacting to reports about the establishment of a new county, Cenling, in Xinjiang near the strategically significant Wakhan Corridor, Gupta described the development as part of a calculated geopolitical strategy aimed at reinforcing what he called illegitimate territorial claims. He asserted that China’s practice of renaming places and creating administrative units is an effort to manipulate facts on the ground, but emphasized that such actions cannot change established realities.

Gupta noted that this is not an isolated move, recalling similar instances where China allegedly created administrative units like Hean and Hekang in regions overlapping with India’s claimed territory in Ladakh, including parts of Aksai Chin. He said these steps reflect a pattern of incremental expansion masked as administrative restructuring.

Highlighting the location of the newly created county, Gupta pointed to its proximity to the Wakhan Corridor, suggesting that China’s actions may also be driven by security concerns, including regional instability and issues related to Uyghur militancy. However, he maintained that such concerns do not justify encroachments into disputed or sovereign territories.

Reaffirming India’s position, Gupta stated that Arunachal Pradesh remains an integral part of the country and cannot be affected by what he termed as “fictitious naming” exercises. He also drew parallels with Pakistan, accusing both countries of attempting to push baseless claims and distort facts regarding Indian territory.

Describing the China-Pakistan alignment as a coordinated effort to undermine India’s sovereignty, Gupta warned that such moves are provocative and risk escalating tensions in sensitive border regions. He called on the international community to take note of China’s actions, while reiterating that India remains committed to firmly safeguarding its territorial integrity.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar