India resumes visas for Chinese tourists after five years amid thaw in diplomatic tensions

CNA

a day ago

NEW DELHI/BEIJING: India will start issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals from Thursday (Jul 24) for the first time in five years - marking a significant thaw between the two Asian giants after a deadly border clash deeply strained relations.
According to an official notice shared online by the Embassy of India in China, applicants must complete an online form before booking an in-person appointment to submit required documents at its embassy in Beijing or consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou.
It follows China's gradual resumption of visas for Indian nationals in recent years, including tourist visas in March this year.
Some reports said that Chinese Embassy and consulate offices had issued 85,000 visas from January to Apr 9, without indicating the category of visas.
Beijing has welcomed the 'positive' move by India.
Speaking on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China was 'ready to maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries'.
An opinion piece published on Thursday by the state-owned Global Times tabloid called it 'a positive development' but said there was 'still a lot that the Indian side can do'.
It noted that India had imposed 'relatively high thresholds' for Chinese tourists applying for visas, such as providing bank statements over the past six months to show a minimum balance of 100,000 yuan (US$13,966).
'These requirements not only fall short of the visa standards from five years ago but also clearly lag behind the global trend of streamlining visa policies and facilitating cross-border travel,' Global Times wrote.
'India should do more to build mutual trust, bridge perception gaps, and foster goodwill among the two peoples,' it said, adding that it was also important to see if India would take 'more substantial steps', such as improving visa approval rates, tourist services and safety, and the possible relaxation of visa requirements in the future.
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The world's two most populous nations share a 3,800 km border that has been heavily disputed since the 1950s.
Tensions escalated following a June 2020 military clash that resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.
The clash led to a military standoff with both armies deploying tens of thousands of troops in the mountains as well as both countries to suspend flights, investments and visa services to each other during the pandemic.
Negotiations to settle the dispute made slow progress.
But relations have gradually improved, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia last October.
Last month, both countries' foreign ministries announced a mutual agreement to expedite the resumption of direct air services and step up communication.
China resumed visa services for Indian students and business travellers in 2022 while tourist visas for Indian nationals remained restricted until March this year, when both countries agreed to resume direct air service.
Modi is also expected to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin next month, which would mark his first visit to China since 2018.