China has published a map of Chinese territory where the country’s borders have been redrawn, taking in parts of neighboring countries. This map provoked strong reactions from neighboring countries.

A line that revives the dispute between world powers. On August 28, China’s Ministry of Natural Resources published a new map of regions where the country’s borders encroach into neighboring regions, such as India and Russia.

A reminder from India on international law

The publication of this new map caused many reactions on a regional scale. India’s Foreign Minister specifically stated, according to the Associated Press, that “unreasonably claiming a particular territory belongs to another country does not automatically make that territory yours.”

Following these publications, which indicated a desire to expand China’s territory, India deployed its military on the borders of the two countries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the need to respect international borders.

Territorial waters disputed by China

The Taiwanese government also reacted to the publication of this map, in which the island of Taiwan appears as a territory integrated into the People’s Republic of China, and condemned the claim.

Furthermore, Beijing also claims to own the territorial waters of other countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, which reject China’s map. The latter highlights the UN Convention on the Rights of the Sea signed in 1982, which regulates international maritime law.

Also concerned about China’s expanding borders, Russia published a statement, asserting that “border disputes were resolved through an agreement in 2001.”

Many of China’s concerns about borders date back centuries, due to clashes between colonies established in the region and the fall of the Qing empire, which ruled the region between 1644 and 1912.