Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday triggered a spat between India and China, with the communist country accusing New Delhi of undermining its sovereignty and sabotaging mutual political trust.
New Delhi retorted, underlining that Arunachal Pradesh was an integral part of India.
Shah visited Arunachal Pradesh to inaugurate some infrastructure projects on the occasion of its 34th statehood day.
Beijing, which claims the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of China, reacted sharply. Geng Shuang, a spokesperson of the Chinese Government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that China had “never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh (as a part of India)”.
He added that China was always “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.”
New Delhi reiterated its position in its riposte. “Our position on Arunachal Pradesh is clear and consistent. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India,” Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said in New Delhi. “Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of 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,” added Kumar.
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