evidence: Tawang is one of the most pivotal areas for China when it comes to Tibetan affairs [...] While the religious leader is seen as a thorn in China’s side under ordinary circumstances, his visit to Tawang is being seen by Beijing as especially provocative because the town is part of the 84,000 square kilometers of Indian territory that China officially claims as its own. China’s Foreign Ministry warned a Tawang visit would "gravely damage the peace and stability of the border regions between China and India, and China-India relations," adding on Wednesday that by inviting the Dalai Lama to an area where China and India had territorial disputes, the Indian side had "violated its commitment on Tibet-related issues, and escalated the boundary dispute."