India will pay 'dearly' if it plays Dalai Lama card: Chinese daily

India will pay "dearly" if it continues to play the Dalai Lama card against China, a Chinese commentator warned on Friday.

"Playing the Dalai Lama card is never a wise choice for New Delhi," a commentary in the state-run Global Times said. "If India wants to continue this petty game, it will only end up paying dearly for it."

The commentary, by Ai Jun, referred to China's decision to give Chinese names to six places in Arunachal Pradesh which Beijing considers Southern Tibet.

"China has been making efforts to solve the territorial disputes with India, but over the past decades, India has not only increased migration to the disputed area and boosted its military construction there," the writer said.

"Putting the Dalai Lama into its toolbox against China is another trick played by New Delhi lately. New Delhi would be too ingenuous to believe that the region belongs to India simply because the Dalai Lama says so.

"India seems to have become trapped in its stubbornness to measure its strength with China.

"But territorial disputes cannot be settled by comparing which side is stronger or which country has more leverage. Otherwise, there is no need for Beijing to sit down with New Delhi at the negotiating table."

The daily added: "It is time for India to do some serious thinking over why China announced the standardized names in South Tibet at this time."

China has reacted strongly against the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh and Indian government leaders' decision to host the Tibetan spiritual leader.

The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959.