After Doklam tussle ends, China ready to re-open Kailash Mansarovar route via Nathula pass

NewsBharati    13-Sep-2017
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Beijing, September 13: With Doklam standoff resolved, China on Tuesday, has ready to re-open Kailash Mansarovar route through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim region. India and China last month ended a 73-day standoff in Dokalam area of the Sikkim sector that was triggered by China’s move to build a road in the border area.

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng Shuang on Tuesday said “In the interests of China-India friendly relations, the Chinese side has made enormous efforts against all odds to facilitate officially-organized Indian pilgrims' trip to Xi Zang.”

“In the light of the consensus reached between the leaders of China and India, and the fact that the Sikkim Sector of the China-India boundary has been delimited as recognized by both countries, the Chinese side approved the opening of the pilgrimage route via the Nathu-la pass in the Sikkim Sector of the China-India boundary for officially-organized Indian pilgrims in 2015.”

"In June this year, due to the Indian border troops' illegal crossing of the China-India boundary in the Sikkim Sector into the Chinese territory, the situation of the border area became tense. Out of security concerns, the Chinese side put off arranging officially-organized Indian pilgrims to go to Xi Zang via the Nathu-la pass," Shuang added.

He further said the Chinese side attaches importance to the non-governmental contacts and people-to people and cultural exchanges between China and India and is willing to continue maintaining communication on the relevant matters concerning the officially-organized Indian pilgrims' visit to China.

Notably, In June, around 50 Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim were detained by China.

The Doklam standoff has certainly restricted and dented China’s image as a Bully, an expansionist who cannot be challenged nor controlled. China has blamed India for the whole mess accusing Indian troops to illegally crossing the Sino-Indian Seychelles section and bounded into China's Donglang area on June 18.

India continues to engage with China diplomatically and has been in close coordination with Bhutan in finding a mutually-acceptable solution to the border dispute issue. India said that it will continue to engage with China through diplomatic channels to find a mutually acceptable solution to Doklam stand-off.

The Sikkim route to Mansarovar was opened in 2015, enabling pilgrims to travel the 1500-km long route from Nathu La to Kailash by buses. The Yatra was being organised by External Affairs Ministry since 1981 through Lipu Pass in Himalays connecting the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in India with the old trading town of Taklakot in Tibet.