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» » China`s map claiming regions beyond its border, including India, shows Beijing`s `aggressive character` - WION

China`s map claiming regions beyond its border, including India, shows Beijing`s `aggressive character` - WION

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China's aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific was quite evident as it officially released the 2023 edition of its so-called "standard map". The map shows certain areas, including parts of India's Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Aksai Chin region, Taiwan and some regions of the disputed South China Sea, as part of China. 

State-run Global Times said in a post on social media that the "2023 edition of China's standard map was officially released on Monday and launched on the website of the standard map service hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources". 

The post claimed that the map has been compiled based on the drawing method of the national boundaries of China and various countries in the world. 

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But it doesn't seem to consider the boundaries of all the countries as it wrongly depicts Indian territories. New Delhi has repeatedly said that the state of Arunachal Pradesh has "always been" and will "always be" an integral part of the country. 

Will it impact Xi's presence at G20 Summit? 

Christopher Sharman, a US-based Indo-Pacific Security Strategist, told WION that China "periodically issues these maps illustrating PRC claims. Previous iterations of this map also illustrated China's claim over the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. These maps continue to be a source of irritation with neighbours such as India, as well as the other claimants of features and islands in the South China Sea". 

When he was asked about Xi's G20 participation in India, and should India remain quiet? Sharman said, "The upcoming G-20 meetings may be an opportunity for PM Modi to address China’s recent publication of its map with Xi if he attends, but even engagement at the highest level is unlikely to prompt the PRC to adjust or to modify its territorial claims. Beijing, after all, prefers to address such issues bilaterally." 

"However, the G-20 may be an opportunity for a multilateral approach by other members of the G20, such as Japan, which is also impacted by Chinese claims on this map. Multilateral opposition presents a greater challenge to Beijing," he added. 

The provocative imperialist map was released just a few days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg and called for de-escalation of tensions at the Indo-China border. But such moves can put a strain on India-China ties, which need urgent mending in order to maintain a peaceful world order.

WION reached out to Ray Powell, a SeaLight director at Stanford University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, to understand more about the matter. "Certainly it's an aggression, and very much in character for Beijing, which often uses maps to lay down a marker and act as a predicate for more aggressive action later," Ray said.

The map appears to substantiate China's unproven claims over the island of Taiwan and the nine-dash line, claiming a large part of the South China Sea. Both the nations, China and Taiwan, assert claim over nearly all of the sea, while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each have overlapping stakes in parts of it. 

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But Beijing's argument is based largely on Chinese maps dating back to the 1940s. It originally used an 11-dash line to demarcate its claims, but it was reduced to nine dashes under former leader Mao Zedong. But the latest map also appears to show the transition of the nine-dash line into the 10-dash line. 

The South China Sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, giving it massive trade and military value. It has become a major flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific because of the territorial disputes. The shipping lanes connect East Asia with Europe and the Middle East, which is responsible for trillions of dollars in ship-borne trade passing through the sea annually. 

Beijing views self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and even claims that, in case needed, it will use force to unite the two territories. It also claims that Taiwan will defy China's one-nation policy by pushing for formal independence. Using force means a direct confrontation with the United States — an ally of Taiwan. 

In case China invades Taiwan, experts have said that it would have a massive impact on the global supply chains as the island is a major supplier of semiconductors—a key component of nearly all modern electronics. 

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