China objects to Shah’s Arunachal visit; it's integral part of India, counters MEA

Beijing/New Delhi, February 20

China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of south Tibet, on Thursday objected to Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit there to attend the Statehood Day, saying it violated Beijing’s “territorial sovereignty and sabotaged political mutual trust”, prompting India to dismiss the claims.

Shah visited Arunachal Pradesh and attended the 34th Statehood Day function and launched a number of projects related to industry and roads.

In New Delhi, when asked about China’s objection to Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India’s consistent position has been that the state is it's integral and inalienable part.

Objecting to visit to Arunachal Pradesh by an Indian leader does not stand to reason, he said.

China routinely objects to Indian leaders’ visits to the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh to highlight its claims over it.

“China’s position on the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, or the southern part of China’s Tibet region, is consistent and clear,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told an online media briefing here on Thursday while replying to a question on Shah’s visit.

“The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ and is firmly opposed to the Indian politician’s visit to the southern part of China’s Tibet region as it violated China’s territorial sovereignty, undermined stability of the border area, sabotaged political mutual trust, and violated relevant bilateral agreement,” he said.

“The Chinese side urges the Indian side to stop taking any action that may further complicate the border issue and take concrete actions to uphold peace and tranquillity of the border area,” he said.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC).

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Southern Tibet and the two countries have so far held 22 rounds of Special Representatives talks to resolve the border dispute.

On February 20, Arunachal Pradesh became full state from union territory. — PTI

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.