China on Thursday accused India of "fuelling tensions" and damaging its interests by allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh while the state media called for answering "blows with blows" if New Delhi chooses to "play dirty".
"I can confirm (that) China has lodged protest in Beijing and Delhi," on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing in Beijing.
The protest was lodged in Beijing with Indian Ambassador to China Vijay Gokhale. In Delhi, the protest was lodged with the competent officials of the External Affairs Ministry, Hua said.
Asked whether Beijing views India's permission to the 81-year-old Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh as amounting to questioning the 'One China' policy, Hua said, "I want to re-emphasise that on issues concerning China's major concern and core interests, territorial and sovereignty, China's position is consistent."
"By inviting and approving (the) Dalai Lama to (visit) disputed areas between China and India, India has damaged our interests and the India-China relationship and it has fuelled tensions," she said.
"We oppose the visit to relevant areas and oppose attempts by relevant countries to arrange a platform for (the) Dalai (Lama) to conduct anti-China activities. We urge the relevant country to stop such erroneous actions and stop undermining Chinese interests," she said.
The Dalai Lama is currently on a nine-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
The official media slammed the development, saying that China should not hesitate to answer "blows with blows" if India chooses to "play dirty" by allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh.
Two English newspapers -- China Daily and Global Times -- launched a scathing attack on India after Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that Arunachal Pradesh -- which China claims as part of Southern Tibet -- is "an inseparable part of India".
Taking exception to Rijiju's remarks, the papers said India is using the Dalai Lama as a "diplomatic tool" against China for its "vice like veto" against India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the United Nations ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.
Despite the historical dispute, the China-India border area has by and large remained peaceful recently, particularly since Beijing and New Delhi began to get serious about border talks, the state-run China Daily said in an editorial.
"If New Delhi chooses to play dirty, however, Beijing should not hesitate to answer blows with blows," the paper said.
In its editorial, the ruling CPC-run Global Times criticised Rijiju for accompanying the Dalai Lama during his visit to the state.
"The Dalai Lama has been to the disputed region before, but what makes this trip different is that he is received and accompanied by India's Junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju. When China raised the concern over the visit, Rijiju commented that China shouldn't intervene in their 'internal affairs'," it said.
"New Delhi probably overestimates its leverage in the bilateral ties with China. The two countries in recent years have continuously strived to improve their relationship and the peace on the border area has been maintained," it said.
"India has benefited from the good momentum of bilateral relationship as much as China. If New Delhi ruins the Sino-India ties and the two countries turn into open rivals, can India afford the consequence?," the tabloid, known for striking aggressive nationalistic postures, said.
"With a GDP several times higher than that of India, military capabilities that can reach the Indian Ocean and having good relations with India's peripheral nations, coupled with the fact that India's turbulent northern state borders China, if China engages in a geopolitical game with India, will Beijing lose to New Delhi?" it said.
China considers India as a friendly neighbour and partner. China has never provoked bilateral disputes or made any pressing demand on India over the Dalai Lama. New Delhi should respond to Beijing's goodwill with goodwill, the editorial said.
Asked about assertions in the Chinese media that India's move was aimed at pressuring Beijing over the issues relating to China blocking India's Nuclear Suppliers Group membership bid, Hua said, "China will not make any assumptions on India's intentions."
She said the Dalai Lama's visit has caused damage to India-China relations.
"We hope the two sides can continue to follow principle of mutual respect for each other's core interests and major concerns and we should do more things that can strengthen mutual political trust and promote the overall interests of China-India relations," she said.
On India's NSG bid, Hua said this issue should be resolved by all the 48 members of the group.
"We should achieve a solution that applies indiscriminately to all non-Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty countries through consultation and discussion," she said.
The China Daily, in its editorial, stated that, "New Delhi not only allowed the 14th Dalai Lama to visit Southern Tibet, a historical Chinese territory India has illicitly occupied and refers to as 'Arunachal Pradesh', but the spiritual leader of 'Tibetan independence' was also escorted on the trip by India's junior minister of home affairs.
"To Beijing, that is a double affront," it said.
"Rijiju might think himself cute in borrowing a line from Beijing's diplomatic representations, but he has ignored the fundamental distinction here: Like Taiwan and any other part of China, Tibet is a part of the Chinese territory no matter whether New Delhi agrees or not," it said in the editorial.
"Southern Tibet, on the other hand, was stolen from China by his country's former colonial master taking advantage of China's internal strife. Should he have any questions regarding the status of Southern Tibet, Rijiju can consult the historical archives," it said.
"Neither the 'McMahon Line', by which New Delhi justifies its actual control of Southern Tibet nor the present-day 'Arunachal Pradesh' has Beijing's endorsement. In other words, Indian occupation of the area is legally untenable. Using it as leverage, therefore, is not just unethical, it is outright illicit," the editorial said.
Despite the historical dispute, the China-India border area has by and large remained peaceful recently, particularly since Beijing and New Delhi began to get serious about border talks, it said.
IMAGE: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai during a religious discourse at Thubchog Gatsel Ling Monastery, Bomdila in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo
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