China gives normal visas to Kashmiris

The delegation is visiting Beijing,Shanghai and Guangzhou between September 21 and 29.

Sending a positive signal to India,China has given normal pasted visas to 12 Kashmiri youths who are visiting the country as a part of a 500-member contingent on a government-sponsored exchange programme. The delegation is visiting Beijing,Shanghai and Guangzhou between September 21 and 29.

The 12 Kashmiris,all aged under 35,have been chosen from the newly-elected panchayats and institutions of higher education.

The Chinese embassy has not been issuing stapled visas since December last year,and the Chinese envoy has told Indian officials that they have been issuing visas in hundreds to J&K residents.

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However,this is the first government-selected delegation to visit China since December when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao came to India.

On Thursday,the Chinese Premier met about 200 of them,led by Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ajay Maken,in Beijing.

It was a pleasant surprise for us to receive the Premier,and he stayed with us for over 30 minutes. The delegates from Rajasthan tied a turban on the Chinese Premier,and he talked about our need to work together and explore opportunities, Maken told The Indian Express over phone from Beijing.

As a part of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations,the two sides had declared 2011 as the Year of India-China Exchange. Now,China will send 500 delegates from civil society organisations,youth,media,scholars and artistes in December.