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China's Territorial Claims and Disputes

Apr 4, 2025

Lecture Notes: China's New Standard Map and Territorial Disputes

Overview

  • In August 2023, China unveiled a new standard map.
  • The map shows territories not controlled by China but claimed as part of its territory.
  • Affected regions include those administered by India, Bhutan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, and Russia.
  • China currently holds the largest number of open territorial disputes globally.

Key Territorial Disputes

Well-Known Disputes

  • Claims to Taiwan.
  • Maritime claims in the South China Sea, clashing with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

Lesser-Known Disputes

  • Claims to the Senkaku Islands (administered by Japan).
  • Renewal of claims to Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island (Russia), thought settled in 2008.

Major Disputes with India

  • Border disputes across the Himalayas: the longest openly disputed border in the world.
  • The disputed area is about the size of Portugal and affects nearly 2 million people.
  • Key disputed regions include:
    • Aksai Chin: Controlled by China, claimed by India.
    • Arunachal Pradesh: Administered by India, claimed by China (referred to as South Tibet by China).

Bhutan

  • China has claimed and occupied approximately 12% of Bhutan's territory.
  • Claims include:
    • Doklam Plateau: Strategically important for its proximity to India’s Siliguri Corridor.
    • Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary: New claim since 2020.

Historical Context

India-China Border History

  • The India-China border has never been demarcated.
  • Historical treaties and maps from British India and Qing Empire left disputes:
    • Aksai Chin: Controversial interpretations of British-drawn border lines (Johnson-Ardagh line vs. McCartney-MacDonald line).
    • McMahon Line: Defined Tibetan borders with British India; never accepted by China.

Tibet

  • Tibet was annexed by China in 1951.
  • Tibet is strategically important as a "water tower of Asia" with critical river sources.

Strategic Concerns

China's Perspective

  • Protect access to Tibet and strategic routes (e.g., Highway through Aksai Chin).
  • Deterring Indian challenges and maintaining control over strategic highlands.

India's Perspective

  • Concern over Chinese encroachment near the Siliguri Corridor.
  • Fear of encirclement by Chinese influence through the Belt and Road Initiative.
  • Fear of a two-front war with China and Pakistan.

Recent Developments

Bhutan and China

  • China has been building infrastructure in disputed Bhutanese territories.

India-China Military Clashes

  • Tensions have resulted in various military standoffs (e.g., Doklam in 2017, Galwan Valley in 2020).
  • Agreement since 1996 to ban firearms led to melee combat in 2020, resembling medieval battles.

Geopolitical Implications

India-China Relations

  • Growing tensions due to territorial claims and regional influence.
  • India's strategic partnerships with the US and others as a counterbalance.

Potential Future Conflicts

  • The risk of escalation into warfare between China and India remains amid unresolved disputes.
  • Bhutan caught between India and China, risking further regional instability.

Conclusion: Understanding the complex historical and geopolitical issues is crucial to assessing the future of China-India-Bhutan relations and territorial disputes.

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