Controversial Chinese National Map Sparks Outrage Among Neighboring Countries

The Philippines, Malaysia, and India have all released strongly-worded statements accusing China of claiming their territories after China published a new national map.

The Philippines expressed its rejection of the map on Thursday due to the inclusion of a dashed line surrounding disputed regions of the South China Sea. This dashed line was the subject of a 2016 international tribunal ruling, which ruled in favor of Manila. The Philippines' Foreign Affairs department released a statement stating that the map is the most recent effort to justify China's alleged sovereignty and authority over Philippine features and maritime zones, which lacks any legal basis under international law.

India was the first country to raise its concerns on Tuesday, lodging a "strong protest" regarding the Chinese inclusion of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai-Chin plateau within their territory. "Through diplomatic channels, we have officially expressed our strong objection to China's so-called 2023 standard map of China, which wrongfully asserts its ownership of India's land," stated Arindam Bagchi, India's foreign secretary. "These claims are unsubstantiated, and we firmly reject them."

Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected China's "unilateral claims" and consistently opposes any foreign party claiming sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over Malaysia's maritime features. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin dismissed the complaints during a routine press briefing, stating that the revisions were carried out as a lawful exercise of sovereignty.

"We hope relevant sides can stay objective and calm, and refrain from over-interpreting the issue," he added.

Tensions with India

Leader Xi Jinping, who has been in power since 2012, has been actively working to elevate China's status to that of a global superpower by pursuing an assertive foreign policy and making bold moves in various significant flashpoints in Asia.

This territorial dispute arises shortly after a significant meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping in South Africa. During their rare face-to-face encounter, the two leaders agreed to "intensify efforts" in order to reduce tensions along their disputed border, a development that was perceived as a positive step towards repairing their strained relationship.

It followed India and China's 19th round of negotiations to address their border conflict and came in anticipation of a possible encounter between Modi and Xi at the upcoming G20 summit in New Delhi - assuming Xi's attendance.

Despite the apparent public progress in their border disputes, analysts caution that this might not always hold true.

Akhil Ramesh, a senior fellow from the Honolulu-based foreign policy research institute Pacific Forum, focused on the Indo-Pacific, commented on the ongoing efforts of India and China to resolve their differences. However, he pessimistically described these efforts as akin to taking one step forward and two steps back. Ramesh expressed doubts about the possibility of tensions easing in the current environment, suggesting that both countries are more focused on pursuing their own ambitions to become leaders in the global south.

Border disputes have long been a source of tension between New Delhi and Beijing, often escalating into armed conflicts. In 1962, China emerged victorious after a war with India. Since then, an undefined de facto border known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has divided these two populous nations.

Tensions between the two countries escalated further in 2020 following a fatal clash in the Galwan Valley, near Aksai Chin. China currently controls Aksai Chin, although both countries claim the territory. Since this incident, tensions have remained high, and in December, a clash between troops in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh resulted in minor injuries.

Pressure on Modi

While the tensions between Beijing and New Delhi play out, politicians from Indias main opposition Congress party have criticized Modi for downplaying the border issue.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge criticized China for their frequent acts of renaming and redrawing maps of territories that belong to other nations. He emphasized the need for the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Modi, to address the issue and put an end to the illegal Chinese occupation of 2,000 square kilometers of Indian territory along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

On Wednesday, lawmaker Rahul Gandhi, while speaking to reporters, reiterated his previous claims that the prime minister had been dishonest when he stated that not even a single inch of land was lost in Ladakh.

The entire region of Ladakh is aware that China has forcefully occupied our territory. The matter regarding the disputed map is extremely grave, and it is imperative for the prime minister to address it," he emphasized.

Modi has refrained from openly discussing the border dispute, even going to the extent of stating on live television immediately following the tragic clashes in 2020 that, "No foreign forces have infiltrated our borders, nor are they currently infiltrating."

India has implemented measures to counter perceived Chinese threats, such as prohibiting popular Chinese apps like TikTok due to concerns over sovereignty and integrity. Additionally, India has taken steps to prevent Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE from supplying its 5G network. The growing assertiveness of Beijing has further strengthened India's alliance with the United States, as exemplified by their participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a strategic partnership with Japan and Australia aimed at balancing China's influence.

China boycotted a G20 tourism meeting hosted by India in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year due to its opposition to holding such meetings in disputed territory. This territorial dispute involves both India and Pakistan, with both countries claiming the Kashmir region in its entirety. Reporting for CNN was provided by Nectar Gan.