evidence: China’s claims initially extended only to Tawang, a part of Arunachal Pradesh, where the sixth Dalai Lama was said to have been born. Since the 2000s, however, China has been claiming Arunachal Pradesh in its entirety, a surprising claim given that independent India has been exercising sovereignty over it since 1955 (it became a union territory in 1972 and a state in 1987). It is worth noting that China’s stance is directly motivated by its desire to put a lid on Tibetan nationalism (which it believes is fueled by support from India). Arunachal Pradesh is also strategically located at the confluence of the international borders of the PRC, Myanmar and Bhutan, giving it strategic importance. This extension of territorial claims and increasing aggression indicate a concerted strategy of widening the PRC’s ambit of influence and control, consistent with its stance on the East and South China Sea disputes. Beijing’s border disputes with India thus represent a wider strategic shift in its thinking, far removed from Deng Xiaoping’s "keep your head down" policy, through which it seeks to revive its ancient glory as the Middle Kingdom.