Since early 2020, approximately 23,000 Indian students who were pursuing medical education in China have been stranded in India. China has taken an iron-handed approach to deal with the pandemic domestically, and its utopic “Zero-Covid policy” has only made things worse for the country. Millions of people are regularly forced into strict lockdowns even if a few isolated cases are discovered in a city or even in a region. So, it goes without saying that China has not allowed Indian students to return and begin physical classes – which are essential for the completion of medical studies.
China, up until now, had simply refused to entertain the idea of such Indian students returning to their colleges in the Communist nation to continue their education. Then, India sent a resounding message to Beijing.
On April 24, India suspended tourist visas issued to Chinese nationals. In a circular issued on April 20 regarding India, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said, “Tourist visas issued to nationals of China (People’s Republic) are no longer valid. The IATA also said that tourist visas with a validity of 10 years are no longer valid.
The stern move came after India urged Beijing to adopt a “congenial stance” on the matter as the continuation of the strict restrictions was putting the academic careers of thousands of Indian students in jeopardy. However, China had refused to entertain the prospect of allowing Indian students to return to their colleges.
China Bends the Knee
India’s suspension of tourist visas for Chinese nationals, however, tilted the scales. New Delhi sent shivers down the spine of Beijing and made the Chinese Communist Party realise that its refusal to budge on the question of Indian students could actually escalate to an all-out diplomatic war between India and China.
So, China on Friday announced plans to permit the return of “some” Indian students stranded in India for over two years. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing in Beijing that “China attaches high importance to Indian students’ concerns about returning to China for studies. We have shared with the Indian sides the procedures and experience of other countries’ students returning to China”.
Lijian added, “Actually, the work for Indian students’ return has already been started. All that remains to be done is for the Indian side to provide the list of students who really need to come back to China.”
Beijing continues to insist that it will have to take into consideration the “International Epidemic situation, the evolving circumstances, and their majors” while allowing the return of Indian students. Nevertheless, the Indian embassy said the Chinese side had expressed its willingness to consider facilitating the return of Indian students “on a need-assessed basis”. The Embassy said it would prepare a list of such students and shared it with the Chinese side and asked the Indian students to provide the necessary information by filling up a Google Form latest by May 8.
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Tough Diplomacy with China Always Works
China understands the language of severity. China cannot be sweet-talked into agreeing with anybody’s terms. India realises how only tough-talk and tit-for-tat action will get the Chinese to sit up straight, take notes and address New Delhi’s concerns.
For all the time that India ‘urged’ Beijing to take note of its concerns and allow Indian students entry back to Chinese colleges, Beijing ignored New Delhi. The moment India suspended tourist visas for all Chinese nationals, the CCP panicked and agreed to allow Indian students entry into China. That is how China needs to be dealt with. India has surely learned the art of dealing with the Chinese.