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India-China media dialogue cancelled after border dispute

by IBNS 22 Sep 2014, 12:21 am

New Delhi, Sep 22 (IBNS): The Indian government abruptly withdrew clearances for Chinese editors who were coming to New Delhi later this week for a media exchange programme with their Indian counterparts following the ongoing border stand off , reports said.

The media dialogue, organized by a think tank body, was scheduled on Sep 24.

“Due to unavoidable complications, we have had to postpone the India-China Media Exchange. We thank you all for agreeing to participate onSep 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.

No official communication was given by the government on the issue so far. Sources said the organizing body just received a one-line fax saying that the clearances had been withdrawn.

About 1,000 armed Chinese troops had crossed about five km into Indian territory in Ladakh's Chumur sector last week. The worst Chinese transgression in years had taken place at a time when neighbouring nation’s President Xi Jinping visited India, the first by a Chinese head of state in eight years.

India also rushed reinforcements to Chumur sector after learning the news of third such intrusion by armed Chinese troops in a little over a week. Soldiers from both the sides were locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the border,