M A I N   N E W S

President visits Arunachal Pradesh as Beijing watches
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News Service

'Integral part' of India Addressing the state Assembly, the President said Arunachal was an 'integral and important' part of India The North-East provides a natural bridge between India and South East Asia, he said. China reacts We hope India would refrain from actions that complicate the boundary question. Chinese foreign ministry

New Delhi, November 29
In a clear message to Beijing that New Delhi would brook no interference in its internal affairs, President Pranab Mukherjee today visited Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that it was an ‘integral and important’ part of India.

“The N-E provides a natural bridge between India and South East Asia. The essential philosophy of India’s ‘Look East policy’ is that we must find its destiny by linking itself more and more with its Asian partners and the rest of the world,” Pranab said addressing the Arunachal Assembly.

The President went on to say that India sought to make its neighbours partners in the country’s development. “We believe that India’s future and our own best economic interests are served by closer integration with Asia,” he said.

The President’s comments assume significance against the backdrop of China continuing to lay claims over the entire north-eastern state. China calls the area as South Tibet. In fact, it does not issue regular visas to Arunachal residents, citing its territorial claim over the state.

As recently as in early October days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Beijing, China issued stapled visas to two young archers from the state who were to participate in a sporting event in the southern Chinese province of Jiangsu. As a consequence, India decided to put on hold a liberalised visa agreement that was to be inked during the PM’s visit.

In the past, China has always reacted sharply to any top Indian dignitary visiting Arunachal Pradesh. In 2009 when Manmohan Singh had visited Arunachal for electioneering, China said it was ‘deeply upset’’ over the Indian PM’s trip to the ‘disputed’ region. It had also objected to the Dalai Lama’s visit to the state later during that year. New Delhi, however, rejected China’s protests, saying the Dalai Lama was free to go anywhere in India.

But this time around, China is said to have reacted mildly to the President’s visit to the state, merely saying it hoped India would refrain from ‘actions that complicate the boundary question.’’ A news agency quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry as saying: “We hope that the Indian side could meet China halfway to safeguard the overall interests of bilateral relations.”