Washington opposes encroachments over boundary that Beijing insists is not decided

The U.S. has stepped into a flaring territorial spat between India and China, coming down firmly on New Delhi’s side.

A State Department official said that the U.S. “recognizes” the state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of India and rejects attempts by others to assert control over the territory. China claims ownership of the area, which it calls Zangnan, or South Tibet.

“We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control,” Vedant Patel, the U.S. State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson, told reporters in Washington late on Wednesday, when asked about China’s stance.

China on Thursday hit back, saying it firmly opposes the U.S. statement. “Delimitation of the China-India boundary has never been completed,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters.