by Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, Nov 11: China said Tuesday that it deeply regretted India’s Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee’s remarks calling Arunachal Pradesh a part of India’s territory, according to a report by China’s state-run news agency.
“We deeply regret the Indian side’s remarks that take no regard of the historical facts,” Xinhua quoted Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang as saying at a regular press conference Tuesday afternoon.
“China and India have never officially settled demarcation of borders, and China’s stance on the eastern section of China-India borders is consistent and clear-cut,” the foreign ministry spokesman said.
“The current Chinese government, as well as previous ones, has never recognized the illegal ‘McMahon Line’ (demarcating the border between India and China by the British), and the Indian side is very clear about that,” the Xinhua reported Qin as saying.
Xinhua reported that Qin was commenting on remarks made Sunday by Mukherjee, in which he said that Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable part of Indian territory and India will suggest to China that the border be opened for trade.
“China is often making claims on Arunachal Pradesh, but Arunachal Pradesh has a special place in our heart,” India’s External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said during his visit to the north eastern state.
India and China have held 12 rounds of talks to find a solution to disputed border regions.
