The Chinese government has accused the Dalai Lama of “sabotaging” ties between China and India ahead of the Tibetan religious leader’s November 8 visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
Describing the visit as “anti-China” and “separatist,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu on Tuesday accused the Dalai Lama of having a political agenda behind his visit to the State, parts of which China has claims on.
“China’s stance on the eastern section of the China-India border is consistent, and we firmly oppose the Dalai Lama’s visit to the region,” he said, adding Beijing was “confident” that the Dalai Lama’s “scheme to wreck China’s relations [with India] will come to nothing.”
Both the Indian government and the Dalai Lama have maintained that the visit was not in any way political, and have said the Tibetan leader would visit monasteries and educational institutions in the State.
“The Chinese government politicises too much wherever I go. Where I go is not political,” the Dalai Lama said on Saturday speaking of the visit. His official spokesperson Tenzin Taklha told The Hindu that the Dalai Lama “has always been a strong advocate of good relations between China and India.”
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh conveyed to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during their October 24 meeting in Thailand that the Dalai Lama was an “honoured guest” of India and free to travel anywhere in the country. At the meeting, which took place in the backdrop of increased tensions over the border dispute, the two leaders also agreed to use official mechanisms to discuss issues, than publicly voicing their differences and adding to the tensions.
