China has strongly objected to India’s decision to officially announce the names of 28 locations in Ladakh, calling the move illegal and invalid. Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that India’s action cannot alter the reality that the western sector of the China-India border has always been a part of China. Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that Ladakh is an integral and inseparable part of India, and China’s refusal does not change this fact.
Mao Ning emphasized that China has never recognized the unilaterally declared “Union Territory of Ladakh” by India. She expressed strong opposition on Tuesday to India’s announcement of the standardized names of several places in Ladakh. According to Mao, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs had announced the official naming of 28 areas, including disputed border regions and some areas under Chinese control.
When questioned on this matter, Mao Ning said, “India’s move is illegal and invalid, and it cannot change the reality that those territories in the western China-India border region have always belonged to China.” In response to China’s objection, India’s Ministry of External Affairs also issued a statement. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar asserted that Ladakh is an integral and inseparable part of India. In the press statement, he said, “Ladakh is an integral and inseparable part of India. China’s denial cannot alter this established fact.” The Indian government had formally designated the official names of 28 strategic and geographical locations in Ladakh on October 2. According to India, this step was taken to ensure accurate identification on the Survey of India’s official maps and to provide clarity to the public about these locations.
