After Ladakh, China on Wednesday objected to the recent visit of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu to Arunachal Pradesh, saying that it is firmly opposed to the Indian leader’s visit to the state as it has never recognized it.

Naidu visited Arunachal Pradesh on October 9 and addressed a special session of the state assembly during which he said the visible transformation of the northeast is clear evidence of a resurgence in the region’s pace of development which remained neglected for decades.

Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated that Beijing does not recognize Arunachal Pradesh and opposed the recent visit to the state of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. "China doesn’t recognize the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set by India and firmly opposes the recent visit of India's vice president Venkaiah Naidu to the area," Lijian was quoted as saying by Global Times.

Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh in the way they visit any other part of India, said the Ministry of External Affairs in response to China’s objection to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu’s visit to the Himalayan state.

"We have noted the comments made today by the Chinese official spokesperson. We reject such comments. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state of India. Objecting to the visit of Indian leaders to a state of India does not stand to reason and understanding of the Indian people, " said MEA in a statement.

China's remarks come at a time when New Delhi and Beijing failed to make any progress in 13th commander-level talks in resolving the over-a-year-long standoff in the remaining fiction points in eastern Ladakh. The military standoff erupted in eastern lakh after a violent clash in the Pangong lake area on May 5 last year.