China’s Dali Lama protests rebuffed

The Dalai Lama’s visit to the north-eastern Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh brought angry and entirely predictable protests from Beijing, which calls the area “disputed territory” and has even produced maps showing it as ‘Southern Tibet’.

Chinese State media warned of the usual “severe consequences” in bilateral ties, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs weighing in with “grave concerns” and “serious damage” to Sino-India ties.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that by approving the Dalai Lama’s visit there “India has harmed the India-China relationship and fuelled tensions”.

The Buddhist leader was unfazed at the outpouring of hostility. “No problem; it’s normal”, he was reported as saying.

What wasn’t so normal was New Delhi’s vigorous defence of the visit, a significant change from its past polite indifference to the protests.

In a reply, Junior Home Minister, Kiren Rijiju, essentially told Beijing to butt out of India’s internal affairs.

Stating that the visit was a religious one with no political significance, Mr Rijiju said Arunachal Pradesh was an inseparable part of India and China had no right to interfere.

Another official went even further on the matter. “The Dali Lama does not need our approval to visit Arunachal Pradesh. This is a free country”, the official said.

Speculation in New Delhi over the Government’s hard line stance centred on a response to Beijing blocking India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group last year. “I think this sends a clear message that if China affects our interests then we are going to bite back,” one source said.

The Dalai Lama has been a thorn in Beijing’s side since, as a young monk, he fled across the border from Tibet to escape invading Chinese forces. His first refuge on Indian soil was the Tawang Monastery in Arunchal Pradesh which he intends to visit during his current tour.

Later the Indian Government offered him a base in the hill town of Dharamsala, where he set up a Tibetan Government in exile.

Now 81, the Dalai Lama insists he is more interested in providing spiritual guidance to his followers rather than fermenting Tibetan nationalism, but he remains a powerful symbol to Tibetans bridling under the Chinese yoke.

He has already visited Arunchal Pradesh and the Tawang Monastery several times during his period of exile.