China has voiced its ‘firm opposition’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh. China claims Arunachal Pradesh is a part of South Tibet and they would lodge a diplomatic protest with India.
“China’s position on the China-India boundary question is consistent and clear-cut,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang in response to PM Modi’s Arunachal visit on Thursday.
“The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called Arunachal Pradesh and is firmly opposed to Indian leader’s visit to the disputed area,” Geng was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency.
“We will lodge stern representation with the Indian side,” he said.
This is not the first time China has protested visits of Indian leaders to Arunachal Pradesh.
Recently India and China had agreed to resolve disputes through negotiation and consultation, said Geng.
“The Chinese side urges the Indian side to honour its commitment and abide by the relevant consensus, and refrain from taking any action that may complicate the boundary question,” Geng said.
“(These three areas) located between the illegal ‘McMahon Line’ and the traditional customary boundary between China and India, have always been Chinese territory,” he said in the Xinhua report, adding that the ‘McMahon Line’ drawn by Britain in 1914 was an attempt to incorporate the areas into Indian territory.
He urged India to cherish the hard-won momentum of improvements in bilateral relations and create enabling conditions for the boundary talks and the development of bilateral relations.