China rejects India’s move to assign names to Ladakh areas

China has never recognised what it described as India’s unilaterally and illegally established “Ladakh Union Territory” and strongly opposes New Delhi’s publication of what it called “standard geographical names” for the region.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks on Tuesday during a regular press briefing in Beijing, responding to a question about a statement issued by India’s Home Ministry.
The Indian statement said standard geographical names had been assigned to 28 locations in disputed border areas and territories under China’s actual control, and that the names had been marked on India’s official maps.
Mao said India’s move was illegal and invalid, adding that it could not change the historical fact that the western sector of the China-India border belonged to China.