China objects to Amit Shah's Arunachal Pradesh visit, claims the state as part of 'south Tibet'

Shah is at Arunachal Pradesh on the occasion of the 34th Statehood day on Thursday.

Accusing India of violating Beijing's "territorial sovereignty", China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told media, "China’s position on the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, or the southern part of China’s Tibet region, is consistent and clear."

"The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ and is firmly opposed to the Shah’s visit to the southern part of China’s Tibet region as it violated China’s territorial sovereignty, undermined the stability of the border area, sabotaged political mutual trust, and violated relevant bilateral agreement," he added.

Shuang also urged India not to take any step which will lead to complication of the border issues.

In 1996, 34 years after the Indo-Sino war, an agreement was signed by the two countries to resolve the border dispute.

However, the Chinese ambassador to India in 2006 had claimed that all of Arunachal Pradesh is a Chinese territory leading to a fresh conflict between Beijing and New Delhi.

Shah earlier in the day greeted the people of Arunachal Pradesh on the occasion of the Statehood day.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Shah wrote, "Greetings to the people of Arunachal Pradesh on their 34th Statehood Day. The land of the dawn-lit mountains has a rich cultural heritage and is blessed with spectacular natural beauty. I pray for the continued progress of the state under the leadership of CM Pema Khandu."

On this day in 1987, Arunachal Pradesh became a full-fledged state.

(Image Credit: IBNS File)