China last week refused entry to 47 Indian pilgrims who were scheduled to travel to Kailash Mansarovar through the 14,400-foot-high Nathu-la, the pass at the Indo-China border in east Sikkim. Source: iStock
New Delhi, June 26
China today used its state-controlled media to once again hit out at India and this time the target was the recently inaugurated India-Afghan cargo air route. Meanwhile, China also clarified that it was in touch with India over the denial of entry to 47 Indian pilgrims who were scheduled to travel to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim.
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An article in the state-run Global Times (GT) criticised India for what it referred to as India’s “stubborn geopolitical thinking”. The article went on to state that all such connectivity efforts have “not only signalled India’s desire to more actively participate in regional economic development, but have also highlighted the country’s stubborn geopolitical thinking”. The reference in the article is to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in which China has invested $50 billion and India has objected on grounds of territorial sovereignty.
The India-Afghan cargo air route is also India and Afghanistan’s way of bypassing Pakistan and providing Afghanistan access to Indian markets while giving Pakistan a miss.
Regarding the Kailash Mansarovar yatra, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Suhang in a media briefing in Beijing said, “According to my information, the two governments are in touch over this issue.” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Gopal Baglay had said some difficulties were being experienced in the movement of pilgrims through Nathu La and that India was taking up the matter with China.
It is not yet clear whether China denied the pilgrims permission to cross over to the Chinese side of the border due to bad weather or as a pressure tactic given the acrimony in the India-China relations of late over NSG and Masood Azhar. — TNS
State media’s take
"The India-Afghan cargo air route not only signalled India's desire to more actively participate in regional economic development, but have also highlighted the country's stubborn geopolitical thinking." Global Times
Mansarovar yatra row
"The two governments (Indian and Chinese) are in touch over the denial of entry to 47 Indian pilgrims who were scheduled to travel to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim." Geng Suhang, Chinese spokesman
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