Why China Is Targeting Arunachal Pradesh: Pentagon Report Exposes Beijing’s Sinister Plan

Although India and China have formally ended the years-long military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, however, Beijing has been trying to rake up Arunachal Pradesh issue to keep it a flashpoint. According to a recent report by the US Department of Defense (Pentagon), China has included its claims over Arunachal Pradesh among its “core interests,” placing the Indian state on par with Taiwan.

The report warns that Arunachal Pradesh could become a major flashpoint in India-China relations. Submitted to the US Congress, the document states that Arunachal Pradesh, Taiwan, and China’s territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea are central to Beijing’s strategic priorities as it pursues its goal of achieving “national rejuvenation” by 2049.

According to the Pentagon report, under this “great rejuvenation” plan, China seeks to significantly expand its territorial influence on a global scale. It also aims to build a “world-class military” capable of “fighting and winning wars,” reflecting Beijing’s increasingly assertive posture.

Last year, India and China reached an agreement on troop disengagement along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, bringing a period of relative calm. However, after several months of stability, tensions have once again resurfaced in recent days over Arunachal Pradesh.

In one such incident last month, Indian citizen Prema Thongdok, who was traveling from London to Japan, was detained for 18 hours during a transit stop in Shanghai. According to Thongdok, Chinese authorities declared her passport invalid because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth. During her detention, she was denied food and access to basic airport facilities.

She was later able to contact the Indian Consulate in Shanghai with the help of a friend based in the UK, after which she was allowed to continue her journey. Earlier this week, a YouTuber was also detained in China for posting a video describing Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. The video was made in support of Thongdok.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as its own territory, referring to the region as “Southern Tibet” or “Zangnan.” Beijing does not recognize the McMahon Line, drawn in 1914 during British rule, which demarcated the boundary between British India and then-independent Tibet.

Within Arunachal Pradesh, the region of Tawang holds particular strategic and cultural importance for China. Initially, Beijing’s claims were limited to Tawang, but over time, China expanded its claim to include the entire state. In recent years, it has repeatedly released lists of new Chinese names for places in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its efforts to assert pressure on India.

Former diplomat Mahesh Sachdev noted that growing US attention on China’s strategy in Arunachal Pradesh is significant.“In the past, the US has discussed developments related to Ladakh in great detail, but it remained relatively quiet on Arunachal Pradesh. The fact that these actions are now being acknowledged suggests that the US is gaining a clearer understanding of China’s pressure tactics and broader strategy against India in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.