By Okay J M Varma
India and China have mentioned the return of 1000’s of Indian college students stranded at dwelling for 2 years as a consequence of Beijing’s COVID-19 bans and resumption of direct flights disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian embassy right here stated on Thursday.
The vexed situation of the return of the Indian college students figured within the talks between Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday.
Wang recalled his assembly together with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar throughout his go to to New Delhi in March this 12 months and talked about that the “Chinese side attached importance to the Indian side’s concerns regarding the return of Indian students and that he hoped to see early progress on this”, a press launch from the Indian Embassy quoted Wang as saying.
Foreign Minister Wang additionally referred to discussions on the resumption of direct flight connectivity between the 2 sides, it stated.
“Ambassador Rawat conveyed that the relevant agencies in India are seized of the matter and we may see progress in the matter soon”, it stated.
China, in current months, started allowing “some” international college students to return to the nation.
On June 20, the primary batch of 90 Pakistani college students, caught again dwelling for about two years as a consequence of China’s strict visa restrictions, arrived within the Chinese metropolis of Xian.
They are a part of 250 Pakistani college students China has agreed to allow to return based mostly on their necessities whereas 1000’s extra are awaiting Beijing’s nod, based on the media stories from Pakistan.
Similarly, a few of the stranded college students from different international locations together with Russia and Sri Lanka are being progressively allowed to return.
In April, after repeated representations from India, China agreed to allow the return of “some” Indian college students and requested the Indian Embassy right here to gather the small print of these searching for to return.
As per China’s official stories, over 23,000 Indian college students are finding out in Chinese schools, principally medical programs.
Over 12,000 Indian college students have expressed their want to return and their particulars have been forwarded to the Chinese authorities for processing.
China is but to give you a criterion to allow the return of the scholars as Beijing is reluctant to permit their return directly in massive numbers in view of the current COVID-19 spike within the nation.
Last week, China introduced plans to supply visas to Indian professionals and their households working in numerous Chinese cities who’re caught again dwelling for over two years as a consequence of Beijing’s COVID-19 visa bans.
The Chinese embassy in India up to date its COVID-19 visa coverage after over two years to simply accept visa purposes of international nationals and their accompanying members of the family desirous to go to China for the resumption of labor in all fields.
This week, it additional up to date with COVID-19 protocols to be adopted by visa holders to journey to China. While opening visa companies to Indians, China and India are but to announce plans to renew flight companies between the 2 international locations.
Currently, solely diplomats between the 2 international locations journey via costly third-country flight routes.
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Source: www.financialexpress.com”