NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday rejected China’s protest over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh last week, and asserted that objecting to such visits or developmental projects does not stand to reason.
"We reject the comments made by the Chinese side regarding the visit of the Prime Minister to Arunachal Pradesh. 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. Further, it will not change the reality that the State of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Chinese side has been made aware of this consistent position on several occasions,’’ said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Tuesday.
In response to a query on what China thought of PM Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Chinese diplomat Mao Ning said that India’s move to strengthen troop deployment would be counterproductive along the border.
"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 and not conducive to safeguarding peace and tranquillity of the border areas,’’ Mao Ning said.
China on Monday said it lodged a diplomatic protest with India over Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last week, and reiterated its claim over the region by saying India's moves will "only complicate" the unresolved boundary question.
China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, routinely objects to Indian leaders' visits to the state to highlight its claims.
Beijing has also named the area as Zangnan.
(With inputs from PTI)