NEW DELHI: China should stop making unnecessary claims over Arunachal Pradesh as it is "an integral" part of India, newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from the state Mukut Mithi said on Thursday.
Mithi, who served the state as Chief Minister of the state from 1999 to 2003, said the vexed boundary issue should be resolved immediately as it would auger well for economies of both the countries.
"China should not continue claiming Arunachal unnecessarily as the state is an integral part of India," Mithi said.
Welcoming the visit of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to China beginning on Thursday, Mithi said a good neighbourly relations with Beijing was important for overall development of the state.
Mithi was administered oath as a member of the Upper House by Chairman Hamid Ansari on Wednesday.
"The boundary issue should be resolved immediately. A solution to the vexed issue will help development of the bordering areas," Mithi, who was till recently the Governor of Puducherry, said.
Mukherjee is on a four-day visit to the Communist giant during which the boundary row and irritants surrounding it are expected to dominate his talks with the leadership there.
India says China is illegally occupying 43,180 sq km of Jammu and Kashmir including 5,180 sq km illegally ceded to Beijing by Islamabad under the Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement in 1963. On the other hand, China accuses India of possessing some 90,000 sq km of Chinese territory, mostly in Arunachal Pradesh.
Mithi said his state does not have a proper telecommunication and road network and vowed to do "everything possible" to ensure speedy development of the state.
