China rejects India's proposal to set up Consulate General in Lhasa

[Aarush]

HONG KONG, April 17: China has turned down India"s proposal to establish its Consulate General Office in Lhasa of Tibet.

The proposal was rejected during the 6th China-India strategic talks held in Beijing on Monday.

Nepal is the only country to operate its Consulate General Office in Lhasa till date.

Indian Foreign Secretary Sujata Singh and Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin had led their respective countries in the strategic talks.

Emerging from the meeting, the Indian foreign secretary told reporters that they will now plan a decisive talk with China in this regard.

India"s Consulate General in Tibet was removed after the bilateral relationship between the two countries had ebbed following the 1962 China- India war.
The Consulate General Office of Nepal operating in Lhasa is, in fact, the only foreign diplomatic mission that China has allowed in Tibet.

Nepal is also a major business partner of Tibet.

It may be noted here that China had also rejected a similar request made by the United States to establish its Consulate General Office in Tibet.

India, which already has its Consulate General Offices in Shanghai and Guangzou, will now plan to open another office in Chengdu and Kunming province, which are close to Tibet, according to sources.

Over the recent years, the two countries have been expanding trade and investment for mutual benefit, and have even declared the year 2014 as “the year of friendly exchanges”.

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[tranquilium]

Well, it is not really surprising since embassies have doubled as intelligence and espionage agency as long as it existed. Considering India and US' political stance on Tibet, it would be stupid for China to let India and US set up embassies in Tibet.

 

[OrionHunter]

It's like China asking India for establishing a Chinese Consulate in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh!!

 

[idune]

Considering India and US' political stance on Tibet, it would be stupid for China to let India and US set up embassies in Tibet.

But why NOT? Xi and his team found india to be new partner undermining core and existential interest of other regional allies?

 

[Fattyacids]

It's like China asking India for establishing a Chinese Consulate in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh!!

Not quite, Tawang and Arunachal are disputed region officially, Tibet is not.

 

[tranquilium]

But why NOT? Xi and his team found india to be new partner undermining core and existential interest of other regional allies?

I will be blunt since we are past the unspoken understanding stage. Tibet highland is a pivotal strategic location between China and India. Whoever hold Tibet has an enormous advantage due to the elevation. For example, currently, India's capital is only 300km away from Chinese border and at an immense elevation disadvantage. Basically the entire Northern India, where the population and industry are concentrated are at strategic disadvantage because China holds Tibetan highland. The same thing goes to China, had India been the one controlling Tibet, it would have an enormous advantage over many Chinese provinces, chiefly being Sichuan province which is a major population and production center. This is on top of the resources located in Tibet, so both India and China has great interest in controlling the Tibet region; therefore, it would be very foolish to allow your opponent to gain easy influence over the Tibet region.

Historically, the Tibetan civilizations have a lot more contact with Chinese civilization. A lot of this has to do with geography. Tibet is part of the Himalayan mountain range. The India side has natural barriers in form of high mountains and the Chinese side is a lot more accessible. The other part is that historically Chinese empires are simply much more stable and powerful than the kingdoms located in India subcontinent. Without an unified nation, Indian kingdoms really couldn't bring the same level of influence towards Tibetan region as Chinese empires could. By Qing dynasty, Tibet had become a vassal to the Chinese empire. Though it was difficult to maintain direct control over Tibet region because communication and transportation technology of the day making it impractical.

Fast forward to mid-20th century. By this point, both China and India have made it past the worst of the colonial era's influence and technology has finally allowed the low plateau civilizations to cross over the mountain ranges. Due to easier access, stronger military might and culture presence, China is able to gain direct control over the Tibet region and the brief skirmish in 1962 essentially ended India's chance of gaining direct foothold in Tibetan highland. However, this doesn't stop India from attempts to gain influence in Tibet through other methods, such as harboring Dalai and his cohorts. As a result, China is always on guard for Indian influence in Tibetan affair. So it really isn't all that surprising to see the center government shot down India's proposal.

 

[illusion8]

Not quite, Tawang and Arunachal are disputed region officially, Tibet is not.

where?

while Tibet has a government in exile.

 

[chhota bheem]

Not quite, Tawang and Arunachal are disputed region officially, Tibet is not.

update yourself,
Elections in Arunachal Pradesh 2014, 16th Lok Sabha General Elections in Arunachal Pradesh, Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Elections in Arunachal Pradesh

 

[Fattyacids]

where?

while Tibet has a government in exile.

UN doesn't recognize it, no country recognizes it, including sissy India.

update yourself,
Elections in Arunachal Pradesh 2014, 16th Lok Sabha General Elections in Arunachal Pradesh, Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Elections in Arunachal Pradesh

You can call election all you want, but there exists no international border, only LAC.

 

[illusion8]

UN doesn't recognize it, no country recognizes it, including sissy India.

We host it, and all the Tibetans follow it and everyone incidentally invites and hosts the head of the government of Tibet.

You can call election all you want, but there exists no international border, only LOC.

You can't do jack about it other than send some panzy soldiers to pitch some tents and run back. Pray tell me where or in which organization is it disputed?

 

[Fattyacids]

We host it, and all the Tibetans follow it and everyone incidentally invites and hosts the head of the government of Tibet.

You host it, but no one recognizes it. Instead your govt recognizes Tibet as China. What a wuss. LOL.

You can't do jack about it other than send some panzy soldiers to pitch some tents and run back. Pray tell me where or in which organization is it disputed?

We come whenever we want.

According to UN!!!!!

 

[illusion8]

You host it, but no one recognizes it. Instead your govt recognizes Tibet as China. What a wuss. LOL.



We come whenever we want.

According to UN!!!!!

It wouldn't take long to change what we recognize.

 

[Fattyacids]

It wouldn't take long to change what we recognize.

How long is long?

 

[illusion8]

How long is long?

When the right time comes of course.

 

[Fattyacids]

When the right time comes of course.

When the holy cow comes home