New Delhi: Amid India's rising concern on Indians and two vessels stranded in Chinese waters, the spokesperson of Chinese embassy Ji Rong on Wednesday said that Chinese authorities have been in close communication with the Indian side and that it is providing timely assistance and necessary supplies to Indian sailors.
Taking to Twitter, Chinese spokesperson Ji Rong said, “Chinese authorities have been in close communication with Indian side & provided timely assistance & necessary supplies to Indian sailors. China has never denied any vessel departure. The real cause of the situation is freight forwarder doesn't want to adjust plans due to commercial interests”.
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Chinese authorities have been in close communication with Indian side&provided timely assistance&necessary supplies to Indian sailors.China has never denied any vessel departure.Real cause of situation is freight forwarder doesn't want to adjust plans due to commercial interests.
— Ji Rong (@ChinaSpox_India) December 30, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Chinese authorities have been in close communication with Indian side&provided timely assistance&necessary supplies to Indian sailors.China has never denied any vessel departure.Real cause of situation is freight forwarder doesn't want to adjust plans due to commercial interests.
— Ji Rong (@ChinaSpox_India) December 30, 2020Chinese authorities have been in close communication with Indian side&provided timely assistance&necessary supplies to Indian sailors.China has never denied any vessel departure.Real cause of situation is freight forwarder doesn't want to adjust plans due to commercial interests.
— Ji Rong (@ChinaSpox_India) December 30, 2020
The centre during a cabinet briefing on Wednesday assured that 39 Indian sailors stuck in China will be brought back soon as diplomatic talks are on with the neighbouring country.
Two cargo vessels with a total of 39 Indians on board have been on anchorage in Chinese waters as they were not allowed to unload their cargo though some other ships have managed to do so.
“Diplomatic talks are going on for this successfully. Our seafarers will come to India soon,” Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in reply to a query about sailors being stuck in China for the last seven months during Cabinet briefing.
China on December 25 had said that there is no ‘link’ between stranded Indian ship crew on its Chinese ports and its strained relations with India and Australia.
Moreover, on December 24, Ministry of External Affairs had said that two cargo vessels with a total of 39 Indians on board have been on anchorage in Chinese waters as they were not allowed to unload their cargo.“There is a considerable amount of stress on the crew members on account of this unprecedented situation,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said.
Also read: 39 Indians on board two stranded ships in Chinese waters; India in touch with China: MEA
Srivastava said bulk cargo vessel MV Jag Anand is on anchorage near Jingtang port in Hebei province of China since June 13 and it has 23 Indian sailors. Another vessel, MV Anastasia with 16 Indian nationals as its crew, is on anchorage near Caofeidian port in China since September 20, waiting for discharge of its cargo, he had said at a media briefing.
“Our Embassy in Beijing has been in constant touch with provincial and central government authorities in China, requesting that the ships be allowed to dock and/or the crew be allowed to be changed,” he added.
About India’s concern relating to the Indian crew members of the ships and whether China’s decision on this issue has related to the current situation between India, China and Australia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin last week had told a media briefing that “we stated repeatedly that China has clear stipulations on quarantine measures”.
