(TibetanReview.net, Mar22’24) —China relishes the fact that no country recognizes the Tibetan government in exile as if this legitimizes its coerced 1951 annexation of its eastern neighbour. However, when the United States recently expressed its recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as part of Indian territory, it expressed outrage, telling Washington to keep out of the dispute.
On Mar 20, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said the United States “recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory.” He also said, “We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control.”
China said Mar 21 it “firmly opposes” the US remarks.
“China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing, replying to a question posed by the official Chinese media.
“The China-India boundary has never been delimited. Zangnan (or southern Tibet, the official Chinese name for Arunachal Pradesh) is China’s territory, a basic fact that is undeniable,” he has said. “The China-India boundary question is a matter between the two countries and has nothing to do with the US side.”
The comments by the US official came days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on Mar 9 and inaugurated a strategic tunnel there.
The Sela Tunnel, built at an altitude of over 13,000 feet in western Arunachal Pradesh, will provide all-weather connectivity to the strategically located Tawang district and is expected to ensure better movement of troops along the frontier region.
Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesman Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang on Mar 15 said that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of China’s territory, and Beijing never acknowledges and firmly opposes the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India.”
India rejected the Chinese claim at that time and also on Mar 19 when its External Affair Ministry issued a statement, calling it “absurd”, adding Arunachal Pradesh “was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.”