22 11 2024

China has recently altered the names of thirty geographical locations in an Indian state it claims as its own, a process referred to as “Sinicization.” This action has prompted reflections on the implications of renaming places for asserting territorial claims and cultural identity. India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar highlighted the incongruity of changing names to assert ownership, underscoring the Chinese Communist Party’s strategy of controlling language as a means of exerting influence. The renaming of places like Tibet to “Xizang” exemplifies this tactic, which erodes local identity and reinforces Chinese authority. Similarly, Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian state, has become a point of contention due to China’s territorial claims, despite being recognized as part of India since the Simla Convention of 1913–14. Although China’s military attempts to seize Arunachal Pradesh have been unsuccessful, it persists in asserting its control, including through the renaming of geographical features. This was exemplified by the recent publication of Ministry of Civil Affairs Announcement No. 566, which renamed thirty mountains, rivers, and cities in “Zangnan,” or “Southern Xizang,” effectively referring to Arunachal Pradesh.

This post is based on the information of the magazine “Bitter Winter”.

https://bitterwinter.org/chinas-names-war-attacks-indias-arunachal-pradesh/