China denies visa to top general in J&K

[SHASH2K2]

Beijing removed Indian maps from Expo, back in July

BEIJING: Beijing's refusal to give a visa to an Army general because he commanded troops in J&K may have hurt relations but China betrayed signs it was hardening its approach to India in July. That was when officers of China's Public Security Bureau (PSB) marched unannounced into the India Pavilion at the World Expo2010 in Shanghai and confiscated brochures bearing a map of India.

Indian government officials told TOI that the PSB said they were taking the maps away because China objects to showing Arunachal Pradesh as part of Indian territory. Beijing claims Arunachal and does not recognize the frontier as a border. The PSB is really a euphemism for the police and is empowered to monitor foreign visitors and control dissent on campuses.

''They should have sent a letter to the Indian government instead of simply walking in and taking away the maps,'' an official said. The India Tourism Promotion Board, which put up the pavilion, and the Indian Consulate in Shanghai were not informed ahead of the incident of July 12. It happened within days of the National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon visiting Beijing as Manmohan Singh's special envoy and meeting premier Wen Jiabao. Ironically, China has not objected to Pakistan distributing maps showing another disputed area, Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, on Chinese soil.

Read more: Beijing removed Indian maps from Expo, back in July - India - The Times of India Beijing removed Indian maps from Expo, back in July - India - The Times of India

 

[IBRIS]

Visa row: India reads out riot act to Chinese envoy

NEW DELHI: India summoned the Chinese ambassador on Friday and has refused to allow visits of two Chinese military officials to protest against Beijing's refusal of a visa to a general in the Indian Army.

The discussion came after India, as reported by TOI on Friday, cancelled defence exchanges to protest against China refusing to allow the visit of an Indian Army general on the ground that his jurisdiction included "disputed" J&K. In a tit-for-tat response, India refused to allow the visits of two captain-level Chinese officers to Pachmarhi, and one colonel-level officer to National Defence College.

India was also cold to China's fence-mending bid by offering to send a colonel-level official to New Delhi for talks with joint secretary (international cooperation) in the defence ministry. With passions running high, there was no certainty that the government would allow the visit scheduled for September 7.

Chinese ambassador Zhang Yan met joint secretary (east Asia) Gautam Bambawale in the foreign office to discuss the issue against the backdrop of outrage in India over the the provocation and Beijing's anxiety to de-escalate tensions. The message India gave was that China was solely responsible for the current fracas and that the onus of untying the knot rested with it, said sources.

With the Congress and the BJP joining hands to lambast China over the refusal of visa to Lt General B S Jaswal, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Area Command, government made it clear that it was not going to let go of Beijing's latest effort to meddle in J&K. "The defence minister has taken a strong view. Talks on the issue will go on," minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur said.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari reacted to the report in TOI by saying that the Chinse envoy should be summoned by the government and be told of the resentment its action has generated.

CPM, known for its sympathetic views on China, refused to react, arguing that there was no official word on the issue yet.

The BJP, however, came out strongly against China. Party spokesperson Prakash Javdekar said, "We must strongly condemn the Chinese on the issue. It is the worst kind of insult inflicted upon India by denying visa to Jaswal. It should be made clear to China that Kashmir is an integral part of India and not a disputed territory."

Party leader and former foreign minister Yashwant Sinha said, " Government of India should retaliate in kind. A very strong message should go to China that India will not take such pinpricks lying down."

The anger was in accord with the mood in the government which seems to be determined to engage in some bluntspeak with China. Until then, military exchanges will be on hold, sources said.

In a statement on Friday, the MEA spokesperson said, "While we value our exchanges with China, there must be sensitivity to each other's concerns. Our dialogue with China on these issues is ongoing." This is diplomatese for India's determination to refuse to negotiate on this issue.

However, the government was clear that this issue would not spill over to other sectors. For instance, border personnel meetings would not be cancelled or put on hold.

India has a modest defence relationship with China but with an intention to improve it so as to gain a greater understanding of each other's defence systems. However, on Kashmir, the PLA takes a stand that is designed to infuriate India and placate Pakistan's equally powerful military.

The Chinese approach to the Indian part of J&K is markedly different from its activities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir where it is engaged in construction work. This has already been protested by India, with little effect on Chinese behaviour.

Read more: Visa row: India reads out riot act to Chinese envoy - India - The Times of India Visa row: India reads out riot act to Chinese envoy - India - The Times of India

 

[Tshering22]

Well this proves to all China apologists here what kind of friendship we are heading towards. Some strategic cooperations eh? I hope these people don't need any more evidence as to what threats we face are whether from "evil zionist USA" or "comrade" China.

 

[SHASH2K2]

Well this proves to all China apologists here what kind of friendship we are heading towards. Some strategic cooperations eh? I hope these people don't need any more evidence as to what threats we face are whether from "evil zionist USA" or "comrade" China.

I am yet to get a response from any communist leader in this regard. I am sure they will be very happy to see chinese rise and Indians suffering in hands of Chinese . If they somehow come in power I am sure entire India will be sold to their Chinese brothers . After all china comes first and then comes the nation.

 

[luckyy]

GOI should better focus on developements in Gilgit and Baltistan rather just moving here-there with visa issue,..

 

[SHASH2K2]

GOI should better focus on developements in Gilgit and Baltistan rather just moving here-there with visa issue,..

Gilgit and Baltistan is not part of India. How can we focus on development there?

 

[luckyy]

Gilgit and Baltistan is a indian territory..

 

[SHASH2K2]

No word from India on suspending military exchanges: China

BEIJING: China said Monday it had not received word from New Delhi that it had suspended military exchanges, despite Indian media reports that relations had been put on hold after Beijing refused to grant a visa to a top Indian army general from a disputed territory.

An anonymous senior Indian official was quoted in the Hindu newspaper Saturday as saying that future military exchanges and a joint exercise between Indian and Chinese defense forces would remain suspended until China resolves the issue.

``China did not suspend military exchanges with India, nor did it receive any communication from India about a suspension of exchanges between the two militaries,'' China's Ministry of National Defense said in a statement faxed to The Associated Press in response to questions.

The Indian army spokesman Virendra Singh declined to comment. Indian officials routinely refuse to speak on the record to the media on what the government defines as sensitive matters, including relations with China.

But China's Defense Ministry hinted at possible friction between the sides, saying both have been working on implementing this year's planned military exchanges, but that it was ``very normal to have different points of view'' during specific consultations. It did not elaborate.

``We believe both sides can focus on the overall situation of bilateral relations, based on the principle of consultation and consensus, to promote the healthy and stable development of the two militaries' relations,'' it said.

Indian media reports said the suspension was New Delhi's response to Beijing denying a visa for Indian army Lt. Gen. B.S. Jaswal, who was scheduled to join a military delegation to China.

Jaswal was denied a visa because he is responsible for army operations in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, a disputed territory, the reports said. All of the Himalayan region of Kashmir is claimed by India and Pakistan, an ally of China. China also claims part of northeastern Kashmir that it says is part of Tibet.

New Delhi also refused to allow two Chinese army officers to attend a defense course in India and denied permission to a senior Chinese army colonel to visit India's National Defense College, the reports said.

Ties between India and China have improved vastly since a brief border war in 1962, but the two sides remain divided over the territorial claims dating back to the conflict.

In recent years, India and China have held more than a dozen rounds of talks on settling the border dispute but have made little progress.

Beijing is also highly critical of India's support for the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 and set up a government-in-exile in the northern Indian hill town of Dharmsala.

Read more: No word from India on suspending military exchanges: China - India - The Times of India No word from India on suspending military exchanges: China - India - The Times of India

 

[Virendra]

Freeze over, Maj Gen to visit China
Freeze over, Maj Gen to visit China - Indian Express
A delegation led by Major-General Gurmeet Singh based in Jammu and Kashmir will leave for China for a six-day trip on Sunday.

Regards,
Virendra

 

[Oracle]

Gilgit and Baltistan is a indian territory..

And so is Tibet & Canada.

 

[chex3009]

And so is Tibet & Canada.

I don't quite agree with Tibet and Canada, Let Tibet be a buffer state,

But PoK and Aksai chin is definitely Indian territory and we need to take it back any how.

Can't tolerate talks on Siachen Glacier with the poaks.

 

[sukhish]

I don't quite agree with Tibet and Canada, Let Tibet be a buffer state,

But PoK and Aksai chin is definitely Indian territory and we need to take it back any how.

Can't tolerate talks on Siachen Glacier with the poaks.

talking to pakistan about siachen and kashmir is nothing new. these talks will go on and on and will become irrelevant.
the bottom line is clear in these talks to everybody.