New Delhi: Tibet-related issues, including the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, are a “thorn” in India-China bilateral relations and they have become a “burden” for New Delhi, the Chinese embassy said Sunday.
The remarks came ahead of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to China to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
It would be Jaishankar’s first visit to China after the ties between the two countries came under severe strain following the 2020 military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
In the last few months, India and China have initiated a number of measures to repair the bilateral ties after completing the disengagement of troops from the last of the two face-off sites in October last year.
Earlier this month, the Dalai Lama asserted that a trust of Tibetan Buddhists will have the sole authority to recognise his future reincarnation.
China reacted angrily to the remarks by the Dalai Lama and said his reincarnation should be approved by the Chinese government.
In a social media post on Sunday, Chinese embassy spokesperson Yu Jing said that members of the strategic and academic communities, including former officials, had made “improper remarks” regarding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama “contrary” to Indian government’s public stance.
“They should be fully cognizant of the sensitivity of issues related to Xizang, and that the reincarnation and succession of the Dalai Lama is inherently an internal affair of China, brooking no interference of any external forces,” Yu said.
China refers to Tibet as “Xizang”.
“In reality, Xizang-related issue is a thorn in China-India relations and has become a burden for India. Playing the ‘Xizang card’ will definitely end up shooting oneself in the foot,” the Chinese embassy spokesperson said.
Jaishankar is visiting China on July 14 and 15 to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the SCO.
He is expected to hold bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the SCO conclave.
In December, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval visited Beijing and held the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang.
Doval visited China last month as well for a meeting of top security officials of the SCO member nations.
Jaishankar’s visit is taking place less than three weeks after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh travelled to the Chinese port city of Qingdao to participate in the SCO defence ministers’ conference.
China is the current chair of the SCO and it is hosting the meetings of the grouping in that capacity.
PTI
