China rejects re-opening of India’s Lhasa consulate

It is obvious that China cannot allow India or the US to open up a Consulate in Lhasa.

Tibet and Xinjaing are restive and China is at sixes and sevens to take a firm grip on both these areas. They have tried every possible trick in the book - repression, threat, indoctrination, pouring in unheard sums of money and so on. Nothing has worked for China and China is in dire straits over both these region.

If one has diplomats in Lhasa, they cannot be asked to leave, as China does for all foreigners when there is any lock-down China organises to curb the restive people of Tibet. Thus, these diplomats will have a 'bird's eye view' of the reality and repression that China does first hand. That would expose China in its true colours.

China also fears that the Consulate would become a centre for the Dalai Lama's supporters and the Tibetans in general. Naturally, China is apprehensive of people they call 'splittists'. These people could catalyse the aspirations of the Tibetan people, now under Han bondage. This could also encourage the the 'splittists' of Xinjiang and then bring the Chinese dream of mining the vast natural resources of these two virgin regions that is fuelling the Chinese economy, as also it would create a 'break' in the oil and gas pipeline that is connecting China to the CAR hydrocarbon reserves.

A consulate in Chengdu is of no use to India since it does not serve any purpose.

How can India impress on China that opening a Consulate is not detrimental to China?

Let us see if you all have the ideas to make constructive suggestions to the Foreign Ministry on this issue.

There is no Indians in Tibet, so what is the real purpose of setting up an Indian Consulate?

Setting up a terrorist camp there in the name of diplomacy? Indians are genius.

What about Buddhists who want to come to India someday on a pilgrimage? I personally know one such.

And India does not follow a policy of training terrorists/non-state actors. Maybe you've become too influenced by the thinking of your taller-deeper friend.

One of the most important spots significant to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains alike are Mt. Kailash and Manasa sarovara (lake), both in Tibet!

Right, so it works in the reverse direction too! Indians wanting to go to China. They might need to embassy anytime.

Exactly! So many straight-forward and innocent reasons for India wanting to have an embassy in Tibet. And folks here seem to prefer placing their bets on conspiracy theories!

India has a historical right to have a consulate in four places inside tibet......

If more Indians want to go to China, it only means we need to set up more Chinese Consulates in India, which is being rejected by India.

China has 3 (2 consulates and an embassy) in India already while India has only 1, isn't it? Do let us know the reasoning behind it!

More visas need to be stamped and more Chinese are already in India, they need to be served.

And do understand that China rejected India's request to set up a consulate in Tibet, not in China.

In fact, China welcomes another Indian consulate considering more Indians are studying and working in China.

But there is no Indians in Tibet, India's request has no legitimate ground.

Chinese government was very polite and suggested Chengdu as an alternative.

I can assure you that there are much more Indians in Chengdu than in Tibet, not to mention Chengdu is just next to Tibet.

I really don't understand why India is complaining.

That's a circular CCP logic that can appreciated by the Chinese alone and nobody else!

Thanks to GOI, we have become experts of finding innovative ways of publicly humiliating ourselves.

Then I believe the logic below is something only Indians can understand.

Is there some humiliation?

It is a request and it has not been accepted and that is all.

I am sure the GOI knew that it would be a hard nut to crack.

Maybe, it was done to put pressure on China and expose her political weakness wherein she is scared to open up Tibet to the world and yet claim that Tibet has so wonderfully integrated itself with China.

In fact, as one could see it, it shows that China is being false about bringing normalcy to the Indo China relations. The offer of Chengu as a location for the Consulate indicates that China is totally scared of Indian (read Dalai Lama) presence in Tibet and is merely trying to go tangential to the core issue.

The not allowing the Consulate in Lhasa shows to the international community that Tibet wants self determination and that in itself proves the point that the world wants to see and which will debunk all the Chinese protestations that Tibetans are a happy lot.

It is, as I see it, a good diplomatic pressure on China.