India will still allow the visit of the Dalai Lama amid protests from China. (Photo : Getty Images)
An editorial from Chinese state media talked about China-India relations. The article focused on India's ongoing support for the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.
The Dalai Lama will be visiting Arunachal Pradesh next month, a visit that is done every year. China has been requesting India to stop the entry of the spiritual leader.
The article on the Global Times said that if India allows the visit, "it will inevitably trigger confrontation, undermine the stability of the region and sour Sino-Indian relations."
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, "The Indian side knows very well the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitiveness of the boundary question."
Arunachal Pradesh lies in a disputed territory that China and India have been battling out for years.
The state publication slammed Indian officials for welcoming the Dalai Lama. The article wrote, "These Indian officials apparently didn't realize, or deliberately ignored, the severe consequences the Dalai Lama's trip would bring."
The Global Times said that India should follow the example of Mongolia, which already banned the Dalai Lama from entering the country.
China realized that India is using the Dalai Lama's visit as a bargaining chip for them to try to gain leverage over bilateral talks between the two countries.
The state paper said that this move by India is a wrong one and might lead to bad relations between the two countries.
The editorial stated, "Against such a backdrop and at a time when a China-India strategic dialogue was just held to improve bilateral relations, the decision to receive the Dalai Lama in the disputed region is unwise."
India remains firm on the decision and is not affected by statements from the foreign ministry.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Gopal Bagley said, "The government's position is well known and has not changed."
