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China offers flights to evacuate citizens from coronavirus-hit India, as border tensions rise
- The Chinese embassy is arranging five chartered flights to repatriate citizens, as Covid-19 cases in India surge and a strict lockdown is eased
- Move comes amid reports of rising border tensions between the two Asian giants and clashes along the Line of Actual Control
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China is making plans to evacuate its citizens from India, with chartered flights taking place from early next month as the country grapples with a rise in Covid-19 infections from migrant labourers returning to their hometowns.
The Chinese embassy in New Delhi posted a statement on its website and WeChat messaging account on Monday, telling citizens to sign up for the flights by Wednesday, May 27.
The notice, in Mandarin, said students, tourists and temporary business visitors “who have difficulties and are in urgent need of returning home” should take the charter flights. Passengers would need to bear the cost of travel and undergo a mandatory two-week quarantine after landing in the mainland.
The evacuation exercise takes place against the backdrop of rising military tensions between the two Asian giants along their disputed border. A flurry of media reports have pointed to clashes between troops and military build-ups at several points along the Line of Actual Control that divides China and India, fuelling speculation about each side’s motives. Officials have remained measured in their responses to journalists’ questions on the issue.
The embassy notice led to further talk that the evacuations were linked to the border dispute, but China has been carrying out such plans for its citizens worldwide since getting the coronavirus outbreak under control at home.
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