China wants Dalai Lama’s tour of Arunachal halted
Summons envoy, says Tibetan leader’s visit will damage ties
BEIJING: China launched a diplomatic attack on India on Wednesday for “obstinately” arranging the 14th Dalai Lama’s visit to the “disputed region” of Arunachal Pradesh, demanding an immediate stop to his ongoing tour and summoning Indian ambassador VK Gokhale to lodge a protest.
“The visit will for sure trigger China’s dissatisfaction. This will not bring any benefit to India,” Hua Chunying, the ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson, said. “The Chinese side will take necessary means to defend its territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests,” she added.
India on Wednesday reiterated that no political colour should be attributed to the Tibetan spiritual leader’s trip to the northeastern state.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay referred to a statement issued on Tuesday which said that “the Dalai Lama is a revered religious leader and has visited Arunachal earlier on half a dozen occasions”.
“We also urged that no political colour be ascribed to his religious and spiritual activities and to his visits to states of India, and no artificial controversy created around his ongoing visit,” he said, according to IANS.
For his part, the Dalai Lama said, “India has never used me against China. I am a messenger of the ancient Indian thought and I talk about ahimsa, peace, harmony and secular ethics wherever I go”.
He was talking to reporters in Arunachal’s Bomdila on the second day of his week-long visit.
It wasn’t immediately clear how China will target India for inviting the Tibetan leader to Arunachal.