Dharamshala, 31^st July: Customs officers in China have seized a big shipment of world maps destined for sale because they show Arunachal Pradesh as part of India, according to Chinese state media. China claims Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India as part of South Tibet, which India strongly denies. Arunachal Pradesh, India claims, is an integral and inalienable part of the country.

Customs seized the maps wrapped in roughly 300 export consignments labeled as bedclothes at Shanghai Pudong airport, according to Chinese daily thepaper.cn. In 2019, China implemented a new policy requiring all maps printed and sold in the nation, even those intended for export, to include the official version of Chinese maps that include China’s claims to Arunachal Pradesh, Taiwan, and the South China Sea.

According to the notice introducing the new legislation, maps are the primary means of portraying national territory, which is important for political, scientific, and legal reasons. “Problematic maps will confuse the international community about China’s territory or even be hyped by those with ulterior motives,” it stated. Chinese customs burned nearly three lakh maps planned for export the same year the restriction was enacted, claiming they were incompatible with the country’s official maps.

Image Source: temsias

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