India pushes back on China’s criticism of its Home Minister’s visit to Arunachal

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Home Minister Mr Amit Shah’s visit to its northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. (Photo courtesy: TNT)

(TibetanReview.net, Feb21’20) – India has on Feb 20 rejected China’s criticism of its Home Minister Mr Amit Shah’s visit to its northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing’s insists is part of southern Tibet and therefore within its sovereign domain.

“Our position on Arunachal Pradesh is clear and consistent. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state 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,” Mr Raveesh Kuma, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a press briefing.

Shah visited Arunachal, which shares border with Chinese ruled Tibet, and attended its 34th Statehood Day functions. He launched a number of projects related to industry and roads.

Following Shah’s visit to the state, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told an online media briefing Feb 20, “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.”

Responding to a question on Shah’s visit, Geng said, “The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ and 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.”

He further said, “The Chinese side urges the Indian side to stop taking any action that may further complicate the border issue and take concrete actions to uphold peace and tranquility of the border area.”

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