‘Beijing may suspend its ties with Delhi’

CHINA CLAIMS ARUNACHAL PRADESH TO BE A PART OF SOUTH TIBET AND CALLS DHARAMSHALABASED DALAI LAMA A SEPARATIST

Relations between India and China seem to be headed for a diplomatic chill over the visit of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh, Chinese experts said, with some of them adding that Beijing should use all means including “military” to show its displeasure.

“He was just an issue. After this, he will become a bomb. Using this could make Indiachina relationship more important but also more dangerous,” Ye Hailin, south Asia expert at the influential Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told HT.

If an incursion by the People’s Liberation Army across the Line of Actual Control that marks the disputed China-india border cannot be ruled out, it is also possible that Beijing suspends bilateral mechanisms as a response – at least temporarily.

China could even try to stir India’s strategic unease by boosting cooperation with India’s neighbours, especially Pakistan – sign new deals and pump in more financial aid.

Experts say the response is likely to be harsh, though the tone and tenor could be dictated by Beijing’s diplomatic goals ahead; the response will be calibrated to ensure that it doesn’t impact the BRICS summit in China in September, which is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Chinese foreign ministry has already issued strong statements saying the visit will MFA statements and strong state media editorials are likely to be issued too.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh to be a part of South Tibet and calls Dharamshala-based Dalai Lama a separatist who wants to carve out an independent Tibet within the Chinese mainland.

The Tibetan leader’s visit to the northeastern state, and especially Tawang – around 400 km from Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China – will add to the growing list of problems between the two neighbours .

Hu Shisheng, south Asia expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations said Dalai Lama’s visit could not be viewed as merely being of religious in nature.

“Your minister of state for internal affairs (Kiren Rijiju) will accompany him (Dalai Lama). So, it couldn’t be totally religious. Dalai Lama’s activities cannot only be understood in a religious way. And, we know the visit to the disputed area itself is very politically sensitive issue in China. So, it adds another disturbance to bilateral relations,” he told HT.