India tells Chinese embassy to behave

New Delhi: Attacking China for its “ridiculous exercise and antics” in its recent move to rename areas in Arunachal Pradesh that are part of India, New Delhi on Thursday also said it is “closely monitoring” the construction of a bridge by China across the Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh in an area that has been “under the illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now”. It added India has “never accepted such illegal occupation”.

New Delhi also said the “substance, tone and tenor” of a letter written recently by the political counsellor of the Chinese embassy in New Delhi to certain Indian MPs (for attending a Tibetan-associated event) was “inappropriate” and that “Beijing should refrain from hyping normal activities by Hon’ble MPs and complicate further the situation in our bilateral relations”.       

At a weekly virtual media briefing on Thursday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: “As regards reports about a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, the government has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware, India has never accepted such illegal occupation.” He added: “Separately, the government has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that our security interests are fully protected. As part of these efforts, the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before. These have provided much needed connectivity to the local population as well as logistical support to the armed forces. The government remains committed to this objective.”

On the renaming of places in the Chinese Mandarin language by China in India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh last week, which India had already attacked, the MEA spokesperson said: “We had seen reports of the Chinese side naming some places in Arunachal Pradesh last week. At that time, we had conveyed our views on such a ridiculous exercise to support untenable territorial claims. Calling Tuting as ‘DouDeng’ or River Siyom as ‘XiYueMu’ or even Kibithu as ‘Daba’ does not alter the fact that Arunachal Pradesh has always been and will always remain an inalienable part of India. We hope that instead of engaging in such antics China will work constructively with us to resolve the outstanding friction points in areas along the western sector of the LAC in the India-China border areas.”

On the letter by the Chinese embassy official, the MEA spokesperson said: “We have seen the reports about the political counsellor at the Chinese embassy writing letters to honourable Members of Parliament on their participation in an event. The substance, tone and tenor of the letter are inappropriate. The Chinese side should note that India is a vibrant democracy and Hon’ble MPs, as representatives of the people, undertake activities as per their views and beliefs. We expect the Chinese side to refrain from hyping normal activities by Hon’ble MPs and complicate further the situation in our bilateral relations.”