China has lodged a diplomatic protest against India following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, where he inaugurated the strategically significant Sela Tunnel. China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, asserted that India’s actions would “only complicate” the ongoing boundary dispute between the two nations.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, addressing the media, stated that China has never recognized the existence of Arunachal Pradesh, referring to it as Zangnan, and firmly opposes its establishment by India.
He emphasized that India lacks the right to arbitrarily develop the Zangnan area in China. The spokesperson expressed China’s strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the Indian leader’s visit to the eastern section of the China-India boundary, indicating that such actions by India would complicate the boundary question.
This protest comes in response to Prime Minister Modi dedicating the Sela Tunnel to the nation on March 9. The tunnel, constructed at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh, is designed to provide all-weather connectivity to the strategically located Tawang region. Costing Rs 825 crore, the Sela Tunnel is billed as the longest bi-lane road tunnel in the world at such a high altitude.
Sela Tunnel’s inauguration is a moment of great pride for us. When I had laid the foundation stone for it a few years ago, some people were unsure that this project will be completed soon because the work culture that prevailed for several decades normalised delays. But, the NDA… pic.twitter.com/O2JyvI1lhQ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 9, 2024
The tunnel holds significant military importance as it is expected to enhance the movement of troops and weaponry along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. India has repeatedly rejected China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, maintaining that the state is an integral part of the country. Additionally, India has dismissed China’s practice of assigning “invented” names to the area, stating that it does not alter the ground reality.
Despite China’s objections to visits by Indian leaders to Arunachal Pradesh, India continues to assert its sovereignty over the region. The Sela Tunnel is a crucial infrastructural development aimed at strengthening India’s connectivity and strategic capabilities in the border areas.
