China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, said India’s move would ‘only complicate’ the boundary issue.
China has lodged a diplomatic protest with India over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, where he inaugurated the strategically important Sela tunnel. China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, said India’s move would “only complicate” the boundary issue.
“China never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India and firmly opposes it,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a media briefing, PTI reported.
Wenbin said India had no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China. China has named Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan.
“Relevant moves by India only complicate the boundary question. China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to the leader’s visit to the eastern section of the China-India boundary,” the Chinese official further said.
China has several times in the past objected to visits by Indian politicians to Arunachal Pradesh. However, India has asserted that the state is an integral part of the country and assigning “invented” names won’t alter reality.
On March 9, PM Modi inaugurated the Sela tunnel, the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel, which will connect Tezpur in Assam to Tawang in Arunachal. Built at a cost of Rs 825 crore, the tunnel has been built at an altitude of 13,000 feet.