MEA hits back as China opposes Shah’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh
BEIJING/NEWDELHI: India on Thursday dismissed China’s objection to Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, saying the northeastern state is an integral part of the country that is routinely visited by Indian leaders.
China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet and routinely criticises visits to the region by Indian officials. External affairs ministry spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar, told a media briefing in New Delhi that India’s “clear and consistent” position on Arunachal Pradesh is that the state is an “integral and inalienable part” of the country.
The response came hours after Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang, contended the visit violated China’s territorial sovereignty and “sabotaged” mutual trust with India. “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,” Geng said. “The Chinese government has never recognised the so-calledarunachalpradeshand 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.”
Shah was in Arunachal to attend events related to the Statehood Day of the northeastern state, which shares a long border with China. “Indian leaders routinely travel to Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other states of India. Objecting to the visit of Indian leaders to a state of India does not stand to reason and understanding of the Indian people,” Kumar said.