US Firmly Backs India Amid China’s Arunachal Pradesh Claim

The United States has officially declared its recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as a sovereign Indian territory, firmly opposing any unilateral actions by China to assert territorial claims across the Line of Actual Control. This statement from the Biden administration follows recent tensions sparked by Chinese military assertions regarding Arunachal Pradesh in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region.

In a press briefing, Vedant Patel, the principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, reiterated the U.S. stance, stating, “The United States recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, whether military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control.”

These remarks came after a spokesperson from the Chinese defense ministry, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, reiterated China’s claim over the southern part of Xizang, also known as Tibet, referring to Arunachal Pradesh as “so-called” and “illegally established by India.”

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China, which asserts Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet and refers to it as Zangnan, has consistently objected to visits by Indian leaders to the region. However, India has consistently rejected these claims, asserting that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of its territory. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs responded to China’s recent assertions by reaffirming that Arunachal Pradesh “was, is, and will always be” an integral and inseparable part of India.

On March 9, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Sela Tunnel, situated at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh. This tunnel is expected to enhance all-weather connectivity to the strategically important town of Tawang, facilitating smoother troop movement in the frontier region.