Dharamshala, Sep 15 - Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile said Tuesday, adding that Chinese military incursions into India were a serious affair.
'Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and India is a sovereign country. People living in India on a permanent basis have every right to go anywhere in India. Then why China objects?' Sandhong Rimpoche asked at a news conference here.
'The media in India gives undue importance to whatever China says. But they don't give much importance to increasing Chinese incursions. It is very funny for me. The Chinese incursions are more serious,' he added.
Rinpoche's comments came in the wake of the Dalai Lama's planned trip to Arunachal Pradesh, a region whose ownership is claimed by Beijing.
'His holiness' visit to Arunachal is only for religious purposes. He has gone there several times in the past also,' Rinpoche said.
The Tibetan prime minister accused the West, including the US, of pursuing a policy of appeasement towards China.
'Today economic interests are more important than other interests. Therefore a lot of countries have adopted a policy of appeasement towards China. China bullies them and they do not react,' he said.
'Today the West is afraid of Beijing.