China objects to Ramnath Kovind’s Arunachal trip, says bilateral ties at ‘crucial’ juncture

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Nov 20, 2017 : China strongly criticised on Monday President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, saying Sino-India relations were at a “crucial moment” and that New Delhi should not complicate the dispute. 

 

“China firmly opposes the Indian leader’s relevant activities in the relevant region,” Lu Kang, ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) spokesperson, said at a regular briefing.

“The Chinese government (has) never acknowledged the so-called Arunachal Pradesh,” Lu said, responding to a question from the Chinese state media on President Kovind’s visit to the northeastern state.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of south Tibet and routinely slams India if Indian leaders visit the state.


Barely two weeks ago, Beijing had criticised defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to the state.

Kovind said on Sunday if the northeast was the crown of the country, Arunachal Pradesh was the “jewel in the crown”. The President was on a four-day tour of the northeast.

On Monday, Lu launched the tirade.

“China and India and are in the process of settling this issue (border disputes) through negotiation and consultation, and seek to reach a fair and reasonable solution acceptable to all. Pending final settlement all parties should work for peace and tranquillity,” Lu said.

“China firmly opposes the Indian leader’s relevant activities in the relevant region,” he said, adding: “China and India’s relations are at a crucial moment and we hope India could work in the same direction and maintain general picture of bilateral ties and refrain from complicating border issue.”

Lu also said India should “…work to create favourable conditions for border negotiations and for the sound and stable development of bilateral ties”.

Meanwhile, an official statement from China on last week’s border dialogue between officials of the two countries said it was in the “fundamental interest of both countries to maintain the healthy and stable development of China-India relations and is also the common expectation of both the region and the international community”.

Diplomats from the two countries had met in Beijing on Friday for the 10th round of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) initiated in 2012 with a focus on maintaining peace along the disputed border.

It added that in the next phase, the two sides will continue to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.


courtesy:HT