US Senate Committee Recognises Arunachal Pradesh As Integral Part Of India In A Snub To China

The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) has approved, on a bipartisan basis, a resolution that reaffirms Arunachal Pradesh바카라�s status as an integral part of India, which clears the way for the resolution to be introduced on the floor of the Senate and its possible adoption by the full chamber. The resolution was introduced by Oregon바카라�s Jeff Merkley and Tennessee바카라�s Bill Haggerty, and co-sponsored by Texas바카라�s John Cornyn, Virginia바카라�s Tim Kaine, and Maryland바카라�s Chris Van Hollen.

The resolution reaffirms that the United States recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between the People바카라�s Republic of China (PRC) and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRC바카라�s increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said. 

바카라�Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India - not the People바카라�s Republic of China - and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners,바카라� said Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China. 

India-China tensions over Arunachal Pradesh

China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan. Beijing claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, a claim firmly rejected by the External Affairs Ministry which has asserted that the state is an 바카라�inseparable part of India바카라�. Beijing routinely protests visits of top Indian leaders and officials to Arunachal Pradesh to reaffirm its claim.

Referring to tensions over shared borders, Senator Cornyn said, "As tensions between India and China escalate over their shared border, the United States must stand strong in our defense of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific." 

Successive US administrations since 1962 have time and again recognised Arunachal as part of India. Earlier, when China sought to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh in the midst of the lingering eastern Ladakh border standoff that began in May 2020, the White House strongly opposed any "unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities." 

바카라�The United States has recognised that territory (Arunachal Pradesh) for a long time (as an integral part of India). And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities,바카라� White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.