India-China Row: A day after China said Arunachal Pradesh is “Chinese territory”, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region, the Ministry of External Affairs rejected the claims stating that the state is an “integral and inalienable” part of India and objecting to such visits by Beijing “does not stand to reason”.
"We reject the comments made by the Chinese side regarding the visit of the Prime Minister to Arunachal Pradesh. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other States of India. Objecting to such visits or India's developmental projects does not stand to reason,” Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson, MEA said Tuesday in response to media queries.
He added: “(China’s objections) It will not change the reality that the State of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. The Chinese side has been made aware of this consistent position on several occasions.”
What China Said After Modi Inaugurated Sela Tunnel In Arunachal
China Monday once again said India has illegally set up Arunachal Pradesh, which is known as Zangnan by Beijing. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the China-India border has not yet been solved so New Delhi has “no right” to develop that area.
Wang Wenbin, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, said: “The area of Zangnan is Chinese territory. The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called “Arunachal Pradesh” illegally set up by India and firmly opposes it. The China-India boundary question has yet to be solved. India has no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China.”
He added: “India’s relevant moves will only complicate the boundary question and disrupt the situation in the border areas between the two countries. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the Indian leader’s visit to the East Section of the China-India boundary. We have made solemn representations to India.”
Modi went to Arunachal Pradesh on March 9 to inaugurate the strategic Sela Tunnel there, which is touted to be world’s longest bi-lane tunnel connecting Tezpur in Assam to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. The tunnel, the construction of which cost Rs 825 crore, will enable Indian troops to move seamlessly with arms towards the forward posts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto India-China land border.
India and China have been engaged in a tough border standoff since April-May 2020. Despite several rounds of diplomatic- and military-level talks, the situation at the LAC remains tense with both sides stationing a huge contingent of troops on either side.