India, China locked in war of words over Arunachal Pradesh region

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - India and China have renewed exchange of words over Arunachal Pradesh region after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the northeastern state last week.

“State of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesman for the Indian Foreign Ministry.

His statement came after Beijing on Monday objected to Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, known as Zangnan in China.

“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,” Wang Wenbin, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters on Monday.

Modi visited Arunachal Pradesh last week to open Sela Tunnel allowing all-weather connectivity between border states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The tunnel will “boost the preparedness of the armed forces” while “augmenting the socio-economic development of the border region,” according to the Indian government.

However, Wang said: “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.”

But Jaiswal in New Delhi “rejected the comments” made by the Chinese side.

“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,” he added.

Wang said the China-India boundary “question has yet to be solved.”

“India has no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China. India’s relevant moves will only complicate the boundary question and disrupt the situation in the border areas between the two countries,” he added.

Besides counterclaims in Arunachal Pradesh, China and India are engaged in a border dispute in the Ladakh area of disputed Jammu and Kashmir.

Last week, responding to reports that India had stationed 10,000 new troops along the border with China in Ladakh, Beijing said: “India’s move of strengthening military deployment along the border with China is counterproductive to the two countries’ effort to ease the situation at the border.”

*Ahmad Adil in New Delhi contributed to this report