Beijing has done it again. China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs has so-called ‘standardised’ the names of 27 places in Zangnan, an abbreviation of (Xi)Zang and ‘Nan’ (south in Mandarin), ie, Southern Tibet. In recent years, Beijing has started using this term for the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. For Beijing, Zangnan is itself part of the Xizang Autonomous Region, Xizang being the Chinese name for ‘Tibet’.
Is this name changing not confusing?
It is probably Beijing’s main purpose to bring confusion.
The renamed 27 places (released ‘in accordance with regulations on geographical names issued by the State Council – China’s Cabinet’) cover geographical features: 15 mountains, five residential areas, four mountain passes, two rivers and one lake.
As earlier, each location is given in Chinese characters, Tibetan, and pinyin – the romanised spelling of Mandarin Chinese – with latitude and longitude coordinates and a high-resolution map.
But what is Beijing’s ultimate purpose?
It was probably an indirect way to show sympathy with Pakistan when it was facing a near-war situation with India.
India’s Reaction
On May 14, 2025, in response to media queries on the renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh by China, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said, “We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically. Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
Renaming is Not New
Renaming places is not new. It has been done by all colonisers; India still remembers the British days.
China has done it in a more systematic manner. After it invaded Tibet in 1950-51, Shigaste became Rìkazé or Xigatse, Sakya was Sa’gya, Metok, north of Arunachal’s Upper Siang district, Mutao or Medog.
Apart from the cases of pure pinyinisation like the ones just mentioned, in many cases, names have been completely changed. Ngari province is now called Ali Prefecture (perhaps due Chinese faulty pronunciation who can’t pronounce ‘Ng’ and ‘r’); Kyirong at the border with Nepal is now Jilong, and worse, Barahoti in today’s Uttarakhand is called Wuje, while Demchok in Ladakh is termed Parigas.
First Renaming in Arunachal Pradesh
In 2017 already, the Chinese Cabinet had announced the ‘standardised names’ for six places in Arunachal Pradesh. At that time, it looked like a childish reaction to the Dalai Lama’s visit to the state a month earlier.
The official names of the six places (transcribed in the Roman alphabet) were Wo’gyainling, Mila Ri, Qoidengarbo Ri, Mainquka, Bumo La and Namkapub Ri. Let us have a look at a couple of them.
Wo’gyainling is the new spelling for Urgyeling, the birthplace of Tsangyang Gyaltso, the Sixth Dalai Lama, a few kilometres south of Tawang town. One understands the political reasons why China would be so attached to the place. Beijing was not ready to accept that a Dalai Lama could be born outside Tibet. The situation has become more acute today with the recent announcement by the Dalai Lama that he will be reborn in the ‘free world’.
Another place was Qoidengarbo Ri, for ‘Chorten Karpo’ or ‘White Stupa’. It refers to Gorsam Chorten, the only large white stupa in the area (and the largest in Arunachal). It is not far from Zimithang, the tactical headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division during the 1962 war. The name ‘Ri’ or ridge in Tibetan, may refer to one of the ridges around the stupa.
China knows that the Indian media will jump on this type of ‘scoop’.
This is fine; one can consider it as part of the Information Warfare (IW) against India, but the Indian media should just be aware of it.
The Case of Sakteng in Bhutan
In the map recently released with the 27 new names, China seems to have relinquished a claim on Sakteng, a Bhutanese area adjacent to the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Does it signal that Sakteng has now been accepted as part of Bhutan by China and that Beijing does not claim the place anymore? In itself it is good, but if it is part of a ‘package deal’ between China and Bhutan sometimes mentioned in the Indian press, it has other implications. Has a deal been arrived at or is such a deal in the pipeline? Only the future will show.
