India to resume issuance of tourist visas to Chinese after 5-year hiatus
Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa to India by filling out an online application, scheduling an appointment and personally submitting their passport and other required documents to the Indian Visa Application Centres in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the Embassy of India in China said in a statement Wednesday. Sources indicated that a vigil will be maintained so that the tourist visas are not misused. India had suspended all tourist visas in early 2020 in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19. While New Delhi lifted restrictions on tourists from other countries as concerns over the pandemic eased, it did not resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals as bilateral relations soured after the 2020 clashes in Ladakh's Galwan valley. The move now to resume the process comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit early September. It also comes ahead of a plan to restart direct flights between the two countries.
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Responding to the visa resumption, China said, "We take note of India's resumption of tourist visas for Chinese citizens. This is a positive move. Easing cross-border travel is widely beneficial. China will maintain communication & consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries."
Earlier this month, external affairs minister S Jaishankar met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing and raised the issue of restrictive trade measures and roadblocks to economic cooperation in the backdrop of restrictions on rare earth magnet supplies to India. He also brought up the issue of faster de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh and the two sides agreed to take additional practical steps, including travel to each other's country and direct flight connectivity.
Earlier this year, India and China explored ways to rebuild ties and agreed to initiate efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges, including resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra this year.
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