File Photo: PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping after issuing a joint statement in New Delhi on September 18, 2014. (AFP Photo)
Days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China, a state-run think tank has released a scathing article saying that he should not visit Arunachal Pradesh to "further his political interests" and India should stop "supporting" the Dalai Lama.
"Due to historical feud and mutual mistrust that stems from geopolitics, the two sides have never established real strategic trust. Leaders from both China and India should not only strengthen mutual political trust, but also stick to a series of agreed principles and match their rhetoric with action" the article published in the state-run Global Times said today.
"In light of this, Modi should no longer visit the disputed border region in pursuit of his own political interests, nor should he deliver any remarks that infringe on the consensus on bilateral ties", said the article titled "Can Modi's visit upgrade Sino-Indian ties?" written by Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.
The article with its hardline stand comes ahead of PM Modi's three-day visit starting from Thursday.
"Meanwhile, the Indian government should completely stop supporting the Dalai Lama, and stop making the Tibetan issue a stumbling block to the Sino-Indian relationship," the article said.
Observers say that the article in the Global Times, a sister publication of the ruling Communist Party of China, (CPC) , strikes a sour note ahead of Mr Modi's first visit here after taking over as Prime Minister.
"Modi has also been playing little tricks over border disputes and security issues, hoping to boost his domestic prestige while increasing his leverage in negotiations with China", it said.
"Due to the Indian elites' blind arrogance and confidence in their democracy, and the inferiority of its ordinary people, very few Indians are able to treat Sino-Indian relations accurately, objectively and rationally. Worse, some Indian media have been irresponsibly exaggerating the conflicts between the two sides, adding fuel to the hostility among the public", the article claims.