Dalai Lama's Arunachal Pradesh visit: Chinese media says Beijing should answer 'blows with blows' if India plays dirty

Beijing: The Chinese media on Thursday continued to target India over the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, with an editorial in a state-run daily suggesting that China should not hesitate to answer "blows with blows" if India chooses to play dirty.

English newspaper China Daily launched a scathing attack on India after Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said that Arunachal Pradesh -- which China claims as part of Southern Tibet -- is "an inseparable part of India".

Taking exception to Rijiju's remarks, the paper said India is using the Dalai Lama as a "diplomatic tool" against China for its "vice like veto" against India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.

"New Delhi not only allowed the 14th Dalai Lama to visit Southern Tibet, a historical Chinese territory India has illicitly occupied and refers to as 'Arunachal Pradesh', but the spiritual leader of 'Tibetan independence' was also escorted on the trip by India's junior minister of home affairs," the state-run China Daily said in its editorial.

"To Beijing, that is a double affront," it said.

The editorial is mistaken on this point, as Rijiju, who belongs to Arunachal Pradesh, was not in Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday and did not receive the Dalai Lama or accompany him. Rijiju is set to accompany the Tibetan leader during his visit to Tawang. The Dalai Lama was received by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday, who is accompanying him on his road journey.

"Rijiju might think himself cute in borrowing a line from Beijing's diplomatic representations, but he has ignored the fundamental distinction here: Like Taiwan and any other part of China, Tibet is a part of the Chinese territory no matter whether New Delhi agrees or not," it said in an editorial.

"Southern Tibet, on the other hand, was stolen from China by his country's former colonial master taking advantage of China's internal strife. Should he have any questions regarding the status of Southern Tibet, Rijiju can consult the historical archives," it said.

"Neither the 'McMahon Line', by which New Delhi justifies its actual control of Southern Tibet nor the present-day 'Arunachal Pradesh' has Beijing's endorsement. In other words, Indian occupation of the area is legally untenable. Using it as leverage, therefore, is not just unethical, it is outright illicit," it said.

"Despite the historical dispute, the China-India border area has by and large remained peaceful recently, particularly since Beijing and New Delhi began to get serious about border talks," it said.

"If New Delhi chooses to play dirty, however, Beijing should not hesitate to answer blows with blows," the paper concluded the opinion by saying.

The aggressive editorial came after China on Wednesday lodged a protest with Indian Ambassador Vijay Gokhale here over the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit to the area.

The Dalai Lama is currently on a nine-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

(With PTI inputs)