China Establishes New County in Aksai Chin, Escalating Territorial Dispute with India

China has created two new counties, He’an and Hekang, in its Xinjiang region, with He’an encompassing parts of Aksai Chin, territory India claims as its own. According to Xinhua, this move was approved by China's Communist Party and State Council. The development comes days after boundary talks between India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi resumed after a five-year pause. India views China’s actions, including renaming areas and constructing settlements along disputed borders, as efforts to solidify territorial claims. New Delhi asserts that Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh remain integral to India.