China to allow ‘some’ Indian college students to return: Chinese Foreign Ministry

In a aid to 1000’s of Indian college students enrolled in Chinese universities, China on Friday introduced plans to permit the return of “some” of them who’ve been stranded in India for over two years following the visa and flight restrictions imposed by Beijing as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.

Indian college students eager to return to China ought to present the required data by filling up a Google Form on the mission’s web site by May 8, the Indian Embassy right here mentioned in a press launch.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian informed a media briefing right here that “China attaches high importance to Indian students’ concerns about returning to China for studies. We have shared with the Indian side the procedures and experience of other countries’ students returning to China”.

“Actually, the work for Indian students’ return has already been started. All that remains to be done is for the Indian side to provide the list of students who really need to come back to China,” he mentioned.

As per earlier stories, over 23,000 Indian college students, largely finding out medication in Chinese faculties, are caught in India after they returned house because the coronavirus broke out within the central Chinese metropolis of Wuhan in December 2019. They couldn’t return to China as a result of restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities to arrest the unfold of the contagion.

Since then, they made determined makes an attempt to return to China to re-join their lessons however needed to confine to on-line lessons as Beijing cancelled all flights and visas for Indians.

Besides the scholars, tons of of households of Indians working in China too have been caught again house in view of China cancelling visas and flights from India.

“We understand that there is a large number of Indian students studying in China. India may need some time to collect the names.

“China is ready to receive some of Indian students under the current complicated severe epidemic situation. In handling, foreign students returning to China for studies, we need to take into consideration the international epidemic situation, the evolving circumstances, and their majors. This principle applies equally to all foreign students,” Zhao mentioned.

Asked in regards to the timeline to allow the return of Indian college students, Zhao mentioned the Chinese embassy in India and present channels will work to facilitate and supply comfort to the scholars.

To one other query about whether or not China has offered any standards for India to pick college students to return, Zhao mentioned: “I don’t have the information about the specifics you asked but I am sure these details will be sorted out through communication through existing channels, including the embassy, so that we will actually deliver the good news”.

Following the Chinese announcement, the Indian Embassy right here sought the small print of the scholars aspiring to return.

“Following the meeting of External Affairs Minister of India, Dr S Jaishankar with the State Councillor and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi on 25 March 2022, the Chinese side has expressed its willingness to consider facilitating the return of Indian students to China on a need-assessed basis,” the Indian Embassy right here mentioned in an announcement.

“In order to facilitate this [return], the Indian Embassy intends to prepare a list of such students which will be shared with the Chinese side for their consideration. Therefore, Indian students are requested to provide necessary information by filling up the Google Form at this link, latest, by 08 May 2022,” it mentioned.

“Once the collated information is shared with the Chinese side, they would consult relevant Chinese departments to verify the list and indicate whether the identified students can travel to China to complete the course,” the assertion mentioned.

This coordination course of could be carried out in a time-bound method, it mentioned.

The Chinese facet has additionally conveyed that eligible college students ought to unconditionally abide by the Covid-19 prevention measures, and comply with bear all bills associated to Covid-19 prevention measures by themselves, it mentioned.

In latest months, China has been allowing college students from some pleasant nations like Pakistan, Thailand, Solomon Islands and not too long ago Sri Lanka to return, however remained silent about permitting Indian college students in addition to tons of of members of the family of Indians working in China to journey again.

India had suspended vacationer visas issued to Chinese nationals, international airways physique IATA informed its member carriers on April 20.

In a round issued on April 20 relating to India, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) mentioned, “Tourist visas issued to nationals of China [People’s Republic] are no longer valid.”

On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs mentioned in New Delhi that it was not an opportune second to debate the resumption of issuance of vacationer visas to Chinese nationals in view of the Covid-19 scenario in China.

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