Renaming by China

China has repeatedly tried to assert its claim over Arunachal Pradesh by renaming locations and calling it "Zangnan" (South Tibet), but India has firmly rejected these moves, affirming the state as an integral part of its territory.

What is China doing?

• China has followed a pattern of issuing “standardised names” for places in Arunachal Pradesh, claiming them as part of its territory. This is not new, but has gained momentum in recent years:
  • 1st List (2017): 6 locations renamed

• 2nd List (2021): 15 locations renamed
• 3rd List (2023): 11 locations renamed
• 4th List (2024): 30 locations renamed

• These names are published under the “regulations on geographical names” by the Chinese government and are meant to build a formal narrative in official documents, maps, and international communication.
• Key-locations being renamed by China
  • The places renamed generally include mountain peaks, rivers, residential areas, and passes across Tawang, Upper Subansiri, Siang, and other sensitive districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • These areas are not random — they are mostly close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC)
    • Strategically important, especially near Tawang, which China considers particularly sensitive
    • Locations linked with local cultural, historical, or religious value to India (e.g., Tawang is associated with Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama’s journey)
• These renamings span across Arunachal Pradesh, from Tawang in the west to Anjaw in the east, covering key districts like Siang, West Siang, Subansiri, and Kra Daadi.
• The Chinese government has standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within China’s sovereign rights. Zangnan is the Chinese name for Arunachal Pradesh. China claims some 90,000 sq km of Arunachal Pradesh as its territory.

Significance of Arunachal Pradesh

• Strategic Geography: Arunachal borders Tibet (China), Bhutan, and Myanmar — making it crucial for India's eastern defence.
• Tawang and Buddhism: Tawang, the westernmost part of Arunachal Pradesh, is bounded by Tibet (China) to the north, Bhutan to the southwest and Sela ranges separated from West Kament district in the east.
  • The inhabitants of this district are all of the Monpa tribe. The Monpa belongs to the Mongoloid stock. 
  • Tawang is spiritually significant as the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and was part of historical Tibetan trade routes. China considers it symbolically important, fearing any future developments involving the Dalai Lama's succession.
• Buffer Zone: Like Aksai Chin in Ladakh, China views border regions as buffers for security. Arunachal, from Beijing’s point of view, would be a flank if tensions rise in Tibet.