China Irked Over Indian Mountaineers Naming Arunachal Peak After 6th Dalai Lama

ITANAGAR: China, on Thursday, expressed its displeasure over Indian mountaineers naming a previously unnamed peak in Arunachal Pradesh after the 6th Dalai Lama, re-asserting its territorial claims over the disputed area.

This latest development comes after a team from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) scaled an unnamed and unclimbed 20,942 ft high peak in Arunachal Pradesh.

Following their successful climb, they decided to name the summit after the 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso, who was born in 1682 in the region of Mon Tawang.

It is to be noted that NIMAS is located at Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh and functions under the Ministry of Defence.

According to a Defence Ministry press release, naming the peak after the 6th Dalai Lama is a tribute to his timeless wisdom and his profound contributions to the Monpa community and beyond.

When asked for his reaction, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing here, "I'm not aware of what you mentioned."

"Let me say more broadly that the area of Zangnan is Chinese territory, and it's illegal, and null and void for India to set up the so-called 'Arunachal Pradesh' in Chinese territory. This has been China's consistent position," he said.

It is also worth mentioning the fact that China calls Arunachal Pradesh Zangnan.

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