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  India   Politics  28 Jul 2017  Arunachal part of India, China must recognise it, says Sushma Swaraj

Arunachal part of India, China must recognise it, says Sushma Swaraj

AGE CORRESPONDENT WITH AGENCY INPUTS
Published : Jul 28, 2017, 1:49 am IST
Updated : Jul 28, 2017, 1:49 am IST

There is also a likelihood that Mr Doval, along with other BRICS NSAs, may meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (Photo: AP)
 External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (Photo: AP)

New Delhi/Beijing: Even as visiting National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Thursday held talks with his Chinese counterpart and state councillor Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAs meeting in Beijing in the wake of the Doklam stand-off, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj told Parliament on India’s stand on Tibet, “We used to earlier talk of One China policy, but we used to say that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. And when we say that, we want that China should also recognise this. Our policy has been made very clear.” .

There is also a likelihood that Mr Doval, along with other BRICS NSAs, may meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. Later in the day in New Delhi, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said India has an approach to “resolve issues through peaceful means” on Thursday evening, the MEA said India would “like to strengthen the close development partnership” (with China) based on the Astana concerns. Foreign policy observers feel that despite Beijing’s belligerent rhetoric on the Doklam stand-off, New Delhi is also trying to keep the focus on positive, constructive issues.

Ms Swaraj informed the Rajya Sabha that there is no quid pro quo with China on the issue of “sufferings” of the Tibetan people and stapled visas being given to Arunachal Pradesh residents by Beijing. On the issue of whether India remained a mute spectator towards the alleged atrocities in Tibet, the minister said “We are not sitting as a mute spectator. Whenever there are differences, we raise them.” She said the Dalai Lama wanted to visit Tawang and “we allowed him to do so”.

She added, “Whatever issue that is there that goes against India’s interest, we lodge our protest.”

Meanwhile, in Beijing, Yang Jiechi met separately with senior security representatives from South Africa, Brazil and India, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Yang separately exchanged views with the three senior representatives on bilateral relations, international and regional issues and multilateral affairs, and set forth China’s position on bilateral issues and major problems, the report said, without giving further details. Both Doval and Yang are Special Representatives of the India-China border mechanism. Doval had arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to take part in the two-day Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) NSAs meeting being hosted by Yang.

Meanwhile, responding to supplementaries on the issue of stapled visa to Arunachal residents by China, Ms. Swaraj said in the Rajya Sabha, “The issue has been raised in every bilateral meeting at various levels, be it at my level or that of the Prime Minister. The issue has been raised by us.”

To a question, she said there was no policy under which Chinese companies are denied security permission. She also objected to a member raising the issue of a particular Chinese company in the House. She said that denial of security permission to one particular company cannot determine the relations between the two countries. She said
it done under a process and if a Japanese or a Korean company applied, they get it first.

Tags: ajit doval, sushma swaraj
Location: India, Delhi, New Delhi