A bipartisan resolution was introduced in the US Senate on Thursday that aims to recognize Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, condemning China's military aggression and territorial expansionism, news agency PTI reported.
The resolution affirms the US's recognition of the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, and commends India for taking steps to defend itself against Chinese aggression and security threats.
"The United States recognises the state of Arunachal Pradesh not as a disputed territory but as an integral part of the Republic of India, and this recognition is not qualified in any way," says the bipartisan resolution introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, and Bill Hagerty, a Republican.
China has been using military force to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, constructing villages in contested areas, publishing maps with Mandarin-language names for cities and features in Arunachal Pradesh, and expanding Beijing's territorial claims in Bhutan. According to China, Arunachal Pradesh is part of its territory, which it calls "South Tibet," and it has invoked these claims as part of its increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies.
However, the bipartisan resolution introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley and Bill Hagerty reaffirms the US's recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, and states that this recognition is not qualified in any way. Senator John Cornyn, Co-Chair of the India Caucus, has co-sponsored the resolution.
"This resolution makes clear that the US views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India - not the People's Republic of China - and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners and donors," Democrat Senator Jeff Merkley said.
"This bipartisan resolution expresses the Senate's support for unequivocally recognising the state of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, condemning China's military aggression to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, and further enhancing the US-India strategic partnership and the Quad in support of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific," Republican Senator Bill Hagerty said.
The McMahon Line, which was agreed upon by Britain and Tibet as part of the 1914 Simla Accord, is named after Sir Henry McMahon, foreign secretary of the British-run Government of India and the chief negotiator of settling disputes with China. The Senate resolution reaffirms that the US recognizes the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and Arunachal Pradesh.
The resolution further commends India for taking steps to defend itself against Chinese aggression and security threats. These efforts include securing India's telecommunications infrastructure, examining its procurement processes and supply chains, implementing investment screening standards, and expanding its cooperation with Taiwan in public health and other sectors.
The resolution also promotes enhancing America's multilateral cooperation with India through the Quad, the East Asia Summit, alongside its partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and other international fora. It serves to further strengthen the US-India bilateral partnership regarding defense, technology, economics, and people-to-people ties.
Arunachal Pradesh is an important state for India, containing the Buddhist town of Tawang, home to the revered Tawang Monastery, and the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso. China has raised diplomatic objections to visits to Arunachal Pradesh by the Dalai Lama and other leaders and has refused to grant residents of the Indian state visas for travel to China. Provocations by China impede poverty alleviation and economic development in Arunachal Pradesh, where nearly 25 per cent of the population lives in multidimensional poverty according to India's 2021 National Multidimensional Poverty Index.
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The bipartisan resolution introduced in the US Senate sends a strong message of support to India in its efforts to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty against Chinese aggression and territorial expansionism. The resolution reaffirms the US's recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India and promotes the strengthening of the US-India bilateral partnership through enhanced cooperation in defense, technology, economics, and people-to-people ties.
