Dalai lama's visit seriously damaged ties with India: China

China said today that it will lodge a diplomatic protest to India for "obstinately" allowing the Dalai lama to visit the "disputed" Arunachal Pradesh, causing "serious damage" to bilateral ties.

"India in disregard to China's concerns obstinately arranged the Dalai lama's visit to the disputed part of the eastern part of China-India border causing serious damage to China's interests and China-India relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters.

Chinese firmly opposes this move and will lodge representations with the Indian side, she said.

Yesterday, the 81-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader reached Bomdila in West Kameng district to start his nine-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

China claims parts of Arunachal Pradesh as southern Tibet and had previously warned that if India allowed the Dalai lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh it would cause "serious damage" to ties.