Guo emphasized that enhancing cross-border travel “benefits the common interests of all parties. China will continue to communicate and consult with India to further promote people-to-people exchanges,” he noted.
This action is anticipated to bolster trade and investment ties between the two nations, making it easier for Chinese business professionals to travel to India.
Also read | US intends to require social media screenings for foreigners traveling without a visa
In July, India resumed the issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals after more than five years, marking a significant step toward normalizing relations between the two nations. China also began granting visas to Indian tourists, including those traveling in groups.
The resumption of tourist visas was seen as a pivotal move, as both countries initiated the normalisation process following a lull in bilateral relations since the military standoff in Eastern Ladakh in April 2020.
The halt of all tourist and e-visas originated with the COVID-19 pandemic and persisted due to the Ladakh standoff.
The Ladakh standoff resulted in strained relations between India and China, which were revived after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, last year.
Also read | The Japan station with over 200 exits — 7 facts about Tokyo’s busiest transit hub: See photos
This year, the two leaders convened once more in Tianjin at the SCO summit in August, after which the first group of Indian pilgrims visited Kailash Manasarovar in Tibet, followed by the resumption of flights between various cities in both countries after over five years.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
