‘Positive move’: Beijing reacts as India tweaks business visa rules for Chinese workers
India tweaked visa rules amid growing number of visa applications from Chinese nationals coming to the country for short business visits.
China has welcomed India's move to speed up approval of business visas issued to Chinese professional, calling it a "positive step".
Beijing's reaction came after India tweaked visa rule to allow Chinese nationals coming to the country to apply under business visa category, apart from the existing employment visa category.
"We've noted this positive move," foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a media briefing, according to PTI news aegncy. Jiakun was responding to a question on reports that India will speed up issuance of business visas to Chinese business professionals.
The Chinese official said that easing cross-border travel "serves the common interests of all parties".
Also Read: India tweaks visa rules as Chinese applications surge after thaw in ties
He added, "China will maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate people-to-people exchange."
India tweaks visa rules
India tweaked visa rules amid growing number of visa applications from Chinese nationals coming to the country for short business visits, people familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.
While Chinese nationals visiting India for business trips were earlier issued employment visas valid for six months or more, the government has now decided to grant them business visas or 'B' visas, valid for short periods.
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They further said that a decision was also made to grant these visas within three to four weeks. Though the changes will be applicable to nationals of all countries, but Chinese nationals will benefit the most.
After the relations deteriorated between the two country in 2020 over border tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, the relations revived after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, last year.
The two leaders met again in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO summit in August this year, after which the first batch of Indian pilgrims visited Kailash Manasarovar in Tibet, followed by the resumption of flights connecting various cities in both countries after over five years.
In July this year, India resumed issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals after a gap of over five years, in a major move to normalise relations between the two countries.
