SOURCE: AFI
In a recent development, China has raised concerns regarding the depiction of territorial boundaries in two Bangladeshi textbooks and a map of Asia displayed on the website of the Department of Survey. According to Beijing, the depiction of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of India in the materials constitutes a “factual discrepancy,” with China asserting that both regions are historically part of Chinese territory.
Additionally, China has objected to the portrayal of Hong Kong and Taiwan as separate entities from China in the textbooks and the survey department’s website, insisting that both territories should be recognized as integral parts of China. These objections have prompted a diplomatic exchange between China and Bangladesh, with the latter seeking to address the issue in a more coordinated manner at a later stage.
Following China’s objections, sources indicate that Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs engaged with the Ministry of Education and the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) to review the concerns. The NCTB informed officials that the printing process for the new textbooks had already been completed, leaving no opportunity for any immediate corrections to the materials. This timing issue raised questions about whether such amendments could be made at this stage, as the new textbooks were already in circulation.
Bangladesh, acknowledging the discrepancy, requested China not to exert undue pressure on the matter, assuring that the issue would be reviewed and addressed in a coordinated manner in due course. This response highlights Bangladesh’s sensitivity to China’s concerns while also recognizing the logistical challenge of correcting the textbooks after they had already been printed.
nterestingly, sources reveal that the territorial depictions in question, including the inclusion of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of India, have been in these textbooks for a long time, and are not recent errors. The textbooks and the survey department’s map have consistently reflected these territorial boundaries without alteration. These longstanding representations may not have raised significant issues until now, when China formally lodged its objections.
China’s concern over the portrayal of Taiwan and Hong Kong as separate countries also reflects its longstanding stance on both territories. Beijing has consistently maintained that Taiwan is a part of China, despite Taiwan’s self-governance, and similarly views Hong Kong as an integral part of its territory following its return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
The map displayed on the website of Bangladesh’s Land Survey Department has been a focal point of China’s objections. The map in question incorrectly depicts Arunachal Pradesh (referred to as Zangnan by China) and Aksai Chin as part of India, a stance that contradicts China’s territorial claims. These two regions are central to the ongoing territorial dispute between India and China, which has spanned decades. The portrayal of the regions in this manner further complicates relations between China and India, and by extension, any international representation that includes them.
In addition to territorial disputes, Taiwan’s representation as a separate country on the Bangladeshi materials adds another layer to the diplomatic exchange. Given China’s insistence on Taiwan’s integration, the issue has wider geopolitical ramifications and has been a point of contention in international diplomacy for years.
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