China border stand-off casting shadow on diplomatic engagements

Two days after Chinese president Xi Jingping ended his "successful visit", the border stand-off is apparently now casting shadow on diplomatic engagements. It is understood that prime minister Narendra Modi's government while acting tough has abruptly withdrawn clearances for Chinese editors who were coming to Delhi this week for an annual media exchange with Indian journalists, organised by the Observer Research Foundation. The think tank organising the event says no reason was given and all they got was a one-line fax that the clearances had been withdrawn.

"Due to unavoidable complications, we have had to postpone the India-China Media Exchange. We thank you all for agreeing to participate on Sep 24th -- and dinner -- and we will call on your participation again when we hold the event. But for now, it stands cancelled," the organisers told participating Indian journalists. They insist the Chinese editors had their visas in place. Neither ministry of external affairs nor home ministry officials were ready to comment on the development.

Seven top Chinese journalists were supposed to attend the media exchange programme. They were Lv Pengfei, chief correspondent in India, People's Daily, Xia Chunping, vice editor-in-chief, China News Service, Dong Shi, vice editor-in-chief, China Youth Daily, Dai Xiaojing, president of SEEC Media Group, Bai Yansong, anchorman for CCTV, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of Global Times and Sun Haifeng, vice editor-in-chief, people.cn. They were supposed to discuss and exchange notes on Modi's China policy, economic cooperation and difficulties, portrayal of other in news media and to find ways to enhance people-to-people cooperation.

The action seems to be a direct fallout of the stand-off in Ladakh's Chumur area, which took a new turn on Sunday with soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army pitching seven tents well within the Indian territory and showing no signs of withdrawing from the territory. The Chinese, who had arrived in vehicles on Saturday in Chumur, 300km from Ladakh's capital Leh, started erecting the tents in the Indian territory despite repeated warnings by the army to vacate the area, official sources said. The fresh transgression is in addition to the 35-odd Chinese personnel who are already camping at a hillock in the Chumur area, the sources said.