Pentagon Report Highlights China's Expanding Core Interests, Including Arunachal Pradesh

The Pentagon's report to Congress highlights China's expanded 'core interests,' including claims over India's Arunachal Pradesh, aiming for national rejuvenation by 2049. It notes China's strategic vision to unify contested territories while maintaining party control and outlines recent developments in India-China relations amid long-standing mutual distrust.

In a pivotal report, the Pentagon has alerted Congress to China's aggressive stance on its core interests, now including claims over India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. This is seen as part of China's broader ambition to rejuvenate its national prominence by 2049, according to the report's findings.

The report indicates that Chinese leadership has now broadened the ambit of its core interests to encompass sovereignty claims like Taiwan, maritime disputes in the South China Sea, and territorial assertions over Arunachal Pradesh. This is a strategic move by the Chinese Communist Party to assert control and boost national development while positioning China as a formidable global power.

The document also sheds light on recent diplomatic engagements between India and China, particularly an October 2024 agreement to de-escalate tensions along the Line of Actual Control. Despite these steps, the report suggests lingering mistrust between the two nations, which threatens to impede stronger bilateral ties and could influence broader geopolitical dynamics.

(With inputs from agencies.)