China claims Arunachal Pradesh not a part of India; condemns Vice President Naidu's visit

Just days after the 13th round of Corps Commander Level talks concluded between India and China to resolve the issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, China has once again issued a provocative statement about the Indian territory in a press conference on Wednesday.

Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated that Beijing does not recognise Arunachal Pradesh and opposed the recent visit to the state of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. "China doesn’t recognize the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set by India and firmly opposes the recent visit of India's vice president Venkaiah Naidu to the area," Lijian was quoted as saying by Global Times. 

“We urge the Indian side to earnestly respect China’s major concerns, stop taking any action that would complicate and expand the boundary issue and refrain from undermining mutual trust and bilateral relations,” he said.

'Integral & inalienable part of India'

Reacting to China's hogwash, the Ministry of External Affairs said that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and Indian leaders can freely travel to the state as they do in other states.

"We reject such comments. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. Indian leaders routinely travel to the State as they do to any other state of India," the MEA said.

Naidu visited Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday, October 9. Addressing a special session of the state assembly, the vice president said the visible transformation of the northeast is a clear indication of resurging in the region's pace of development that remained ignored for decades.

China's remarks come at a time when New Delhi and Beijing failed to make any progress in 13th commander level talks in resolving the over-a-year-long standoff in the remaining fiction points in eastern Ladakh. The military standoff erupted in eastern lakh after a violent clash in the Pangong lake area on May 5 last year.