China protests PM’s b’day greetings to Dalai Lama

Third protestation by Beijing successful 4 days

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju with the Dalai Lama during the latter’s 90th day celebrations successful McLeodganj connected Sunday. file

China connected Monday lodged a diplomatic protestation with India implicit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s day greetings to the 14th Dalai Lama and the information of Indian officials successful the Tibetan spiritual leader’s 90th day celebrations successful McLeodganj.

This marks the 3rd specified protestation by Beijing successful the past 4 days, signalling rising tensions implicit Tibet-related matters.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said successful a connection that India indispensable beryllium “fully cognisant of the sensitivity” of issues concerning Xizang — Beijing’s word for Tibet — and accused the Dalai Lama of being “anti-China” and “separatist” successful nature.

“China has lodged protests with India regarding its actions,” Mao said. “India indispensable honour the commitments it has made connected Tibet, enactment prudently and halt utilizing those issues to interfere successful China’s interior affairs,” she added.

The diplomatic enactment comes soon aft the Dalai Lama publically affirmed that the instauration of the Dalai Lama would proceed and outlined the process for identifying his reincarnation — portion pointedly excluding immoderate relation for China successful the matter.

India, meanwhile, downplayed the protest. “We person been extending day wishes to the Dalai Lama for years — this is thing new,” a root successful New Delhi said.

This marks the 3rd specified protestation by Beijing successful the past 4 days. On Sunday, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong posted connected X that the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation is “an interior matter of China” and warned against outer interference.

China had besides issued back-to-back statements connected July 4, cautioning India to debar “interfering” successful Tibet-related matters to forestall immoderate antagonistic interaction connected bilateral ties.

India, which hosts the Dalai Lama successful exile and a ample Tibetan community, has maintained that spiritual state includes the community’s close to take the Tibetan spiritual leader’s successor.