Defying China's warning, India to host Dalai Lama in Arunachal

China on Friday warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.

However, the Indian government has said that the visit of Tibetan spiritual leader to the Northeastern state is on.

"China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media in Beijing.

Reacting to Geng's remarks, a senior Indian government official in New Delhi said that India's position is well known and has not changed.

The Dalai Lama will be in the north eastern state from April 4 to 13 and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, among others, will meet him there.

During his visit to Tawang bordering China, the spiritual leader will be hosted by the Buddhist Tawang monastery where he will be meeting his followers.

"The Dalai Lama will be a guest of the Arunachal Pradesh government and as a devotee, I will meet him in Tawang," Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal-West Lok Sabha constituency under which Tawang falls, told PTI in New Delhi.

Rijiju, however, said the Dalai Lama is going to visit the state as a religious leader and there is no reason to stop him as his followers are demanding he should come.

Asked about China's objections, Rijiju said the central government is run by a nationalist party which considers the country's interests first.

"We are neither going to be dominated by anyone nor shall we dominate any of our neighbours. But we give prime importance to India's interests," he said, without making any reference to China.

While China has been claiming Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area, India has been maintaining that the Tibetan spiritual leader was an honoured guest and was free to travel to any part of the country.

China had aired similar concerns in October last year when India granted permission to the Tibetan leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the invitation of the state government.

The visit is expected to take place this year.

"China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas," Geng said.

"China's position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good," he said.

Geng said that China expressed its concern to India through formal channels.

"India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question," he said.

"Under such a background if India invites the Dalai to visit to the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations," he said.

"We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of the Sino-India relations," he said.

Geng's comments came in the backdrop of an interview to the Chinese media by former Chinese Special Representative on boundary dispute Dai Bingguo in which he said the border dispute between the two nations can be resolved if India gives up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked about Dai's comments, Geng said he has not seen the interview.

He said that China's principled position on the boundary question with India is to reach an early solution pending China-India border question is in the fundamental interest of the two countries. 

Ignoring China's protests, the government had earlier allowed former US ambassador to India Richard Verma and Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last year.