Sikkim was shown as a separate country in two official Chinese publications distributed at a major Asian political party summit hosted by the ruling Communist Party of China in Beijing on Friday, much to the Indian delegation's surprise.
"The border of China extends more than 22,000 km. It abuts 15 other countries: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the east; Russia and Mongolia in the northeast and north; Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Tadzhikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the west; and India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam in the southwest and south," the official publication, China in Diagrams said.
The publication, distributed at the 3rd International Conference of Asian Political Parties, also had two maps in which Sikkim was shown as a separate country.
Congress leader and Member of Parliament Saifuddin Soz thought it as a "mistake"
"As far as we are concerned, Sikkim is part of India," said Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Sitaram Yechuri.
Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president Sushil Kumar Modi recalled that during former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to China in June last year, India and China had reached an understanding on the Sikkim issue.
"They should have avoided this," Modi said while noting that the two publications, China 2004 and China in Diagrams, were freely distributed among leaders from over 80 political parties.