Four More Countries Join India In Rejecting 'Absurd' Claims In China's Newly Released Standard Map

Four South Asian countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan, have joined hands with India in rejecting the 'absurd' claims in China's newly released standard map.

Just three days earlier (on 1 September), China released a standard map, claiming Indian territories of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as its own.

The new map also includes Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea (SCS) as part of Chinese territory.

India expressed concerns about the portion of the map that depicts areas of Arunachal Pradesh under China's control.

India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, referred to the claims made in the new map as 'absurd.' He stated, "China has a history of publishing maps that include territories not belonging to them."

He further asserted that making baseless claims does not grant ownership of other nations' territories.

Four months ago, China attempted to rename eleven locations within the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. This marked the third time China had made such a move, with previous attempts in 2018 and 2021.

Vietnam expressed its objection to this map, with the Vietnam Foreign Ministry stating that it infringes upon Vietnam's sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel Islands, as well as its jurisdiction over its waters.

According to the statement, China's claims of sovereignty and maritime rights based on the nine-dotted line depicted on the map are invalid.

The statement added that, "Vietnam resolutely opposes all of China's claims in the SCS based on the dotted line."

Similarly, the Philippines have stated that they do not recognise China's expansive claims in the SCS. Additionally, Malaysia and Taiwan have issued firm statements accusing Beijing of making territorial claims on their territories.

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin addressed inquiries about the map, stating that relevant sides should remain objective and calm.

He said that, "Relevant sides can remain objective and calm and refrain from overinterpreting." The purpose of releasing the map, according to Wang, is to provide publishers, companies, and others with an official version for reference.

It is worth noting that foreign entities sometimes encounter difficulties with the Chinese government regarding the usage of maps.