India has rejected China’s objection to a recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, asserting that the state is an “integral and inalienable” part of India.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Wednesday “rejected” the comments made by China.
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“We have noted the comments made today by the Chinese official spokesperson. We reject such comments,” Bagchi said in a statement.
“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,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Beijing said it “firmly opposed” Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh last weekend.
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It asked New Delhi to “stop taking actions that would complicate and expand the boundary issue”.
“China doesn’t recognise the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set by India and firmly opposes the recent visit of India’s Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu to the area,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.
Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu was in Arunachal Pradesh over the weekend as part of his tour to the state that shares a border with China.