China renames 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh; India rejects ‘invented’ names

BEIJING: China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Thursday it had issued “standardised” names for 15 places in the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh, to be used henceforth on official Chinese maps, part of broader recent moves by Beijing to step up its territorial claims.

The 15 new “standardised” names, along with their exact coordinates and a map, were released on Thursday by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, days ahead of a new border law coming into force.

The 15 places named on Thursday included eight residential areas, four mountains, two rivers and one mountain pass.

The eight towns on the list were Sengkezong and Daglungzong in Cona county of Shannan prefecture, Mani'gang, Duding and Migpain in Medog county of Nyingchi, Goling, Damba in Zayu county of Nyingchi, and Mejag in Lhunze county of Shannan; the mountains were Wamo Ri, Deu Ri, Lhunzhub Ri and Kumingxingze Fen.

However, According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the move by Beijing “does not alter” the fact that Arunachal is an integral part of India.