New Delhi: In an apparent move to restore calm after the Chinese fury over the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, India on Friday said there was no change in its policy on Tibet which it regards as part of China.
“Let me make it absolutely clear that there is no change whatsoever in Government of India’s policy towards the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China. Similarly, our approach to seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question remains unchanged,” the ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson said. The statement was made “in response to a query on whether the visit of Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh signals a change in India’s policy on Tibet or on the boundary negotiations”.
According to news agency reports earlier from Beijing, China had on Wednesday warned India that the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh will have a “negative impact” on the settlement of the border dispute and had accused New Delhi of violating its commitment on the Tibet issue.
While China covets Arunachal and refers to it as south Tibet, India regards the state as its integral part.
The Chinese foreign ministry had said Beijing will take “further action” to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and had slammed the “provocative” statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, who reportedly said that the state shares its border only with Tibet, not with China.
