CHINESE MEDIA SAYS IT HOPES NEW DELHI WILL RETURN TAWANG

China upped the ante as Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama began a visit to Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday, with an expert telling the state media that Beijing hopes Tawang in the northeastern Indian state will be returned to it.

The unnamed expert from the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who was quoted by the nationalistic Global Times tabloid, also trotted out Beijing’s standard line that the Dalai Lama’s visit to the state claimed by China would hurt bilateral ties.

The Chinese government should take steps against India’s moves to explain Beijing’s position to the world community, the expert said. The expert also indicated India wasn’t honouring its commitment not to allow its territory to be used for anti-China, separatist activities. The state media article said this wasn’t the first time India was “using” the Tibetan leader to express displeasure over bilateral squabbles – indicating that New Delhi plays the so-called Tibet card when ties are turbulent.

“The Dalai's visit to the controversial area, especially Tawang, which China hopes will be returned, will affect relations between China and India,” the unnamed expert was quoted as saying by the tabloid affiliated to the Communist party mouthpiece, People’s Daily.

Uncharacteristically by state media standards, the expert from CASS, a premier government think tank, remained anonymous. China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as southern Tibet, has voiced strong concerns about the Dalai Lama’s visit to the state. It claims about 90,000 sq km of Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh, including Tawang, one of the most important seats of Tibetan Buddhism.