China renames 6 places in Arunachal Pradesh on its official map after Dalai Lama’s visit

An Indian security personal stands guard ahead of the arrival of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in the Tewang District near the Chinese border in India's…

China has unilaterally renamed six places in Arunachal Pradesh in standard Chinese in what appears to be the first sign of retaliation against the 14th Dalai Lama’s visit to the northeastern state earlier this month.

Calling the remote Indian state as part of the border dispute with India, Beijing says Arunachal Pradesh is part of south Tibet with close Buddhist links with the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in the Mainland. Official Chinese maps show the state as part of south Tibet.

The names were changed to show to India the “sovereignty” of the region, Chinese state media said.

“China has standardised the names of 6 places in south Tibet, a region that is part of China’s territory but in which some areas are currently controlled by India,” a state media report said.

“The official names of the six places using the Roman alphabet are Wo’gyainling, Mila Ri, Qoidêngarbo Ri, Mainquka, Bümo La and Namkapub Ri,” the report added.

The changes were implemented on April 13, a day after the Dalai Lama left the state following a nine-day high-profile visit. It was reported by the state-controlled media on Tuesday.

Changing the names could be an indication of China hardening its stand and claims on Arunchal Pradesh especially Tawang.

“China’s ministry of civil affairs announced on April 13 on its website that it had standardised in Chinese characters, Tibetan and Roman alphabet the names of six places in South Tibet, which India calls “Arunachal Pradesh” according to the regulations of the State Council on place names,” Global Times, the nationalistic tabloid, said in a report.

“China did not previously have official names for some South Tibet areas, but now China has a better understanding and recognition of the geography in South Tibet, including the names of areas in the region,” Xiong Kunxin from Beijing’s Minzu University of China told the newspaper.

The renaming of these places demonstrate China’s territorial sovereignty to India, Xiong said, adding that “legalisation of the regions” names is a part of the rule of law.”

“South Tibet region is located alongside China’s southwestern border and India’s northeastern border where Sino-India border disputes are centered,” it said.

The Chinese government has never recognised Arunachal Pradesh, it said.

“In 1987, India abruptly announced that it was officially designating the region as ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ but the Chinese government has never recognized India’s occupation of the region, nor the legitimacy of the province.”

“I said the Dalai Lama is visiting the disputed eastern section of the China-India boundary. It is not Indian territory,” Lu Kang, foreign ministry spokesperson, had said in a sharp response to Dalai Lama’s visit last week.