China fumes as India names Himalayan peak after the Dalai Lama in Arunachal

China has strongly objected to the naming of a previously unclimbed peak in Arunachal Pradesh by an Indian expedition team, reiterating its claim over the region as part of southern Tibet. The peak, which was scaled by a group of Indian mountaineers, has been named “Tsangyang Gyatso Peak” in honour of the sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, who was born in the region.

During a regular press briefing on Thursday evening, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed the issue, stating, “Let me say more broadly that the area of Zangnan is Chinese territory, and it’s illegal, and null and void for India to set up the so-called 'Arunachal Pradesh' in Chinese territory. This has been China’s consistent position.”

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The Indian mountaineering team, comprising 15 members from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), successfully summited the 20,942-foot peak, located in the Gorichen range of the Arunachal Pradesh Himalayas. The expedition, led by Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal, undertook a 15-day journey through challenging terrain.