China says its open to talks on Mansarovar

NEW DELHI: Softening its stand, China on Tuesday said it is ready for talks to reopen the Nath La pass for Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar, which it had closed in mid-June over the military standoff at the Dokalam tri-junction.

“China is ready to keep communication with the Indian side in regard to opening of the pass and other issues concerning the pilgrimage by Indians,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in Beijing exactly a week after PM Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met to put in place a mechanism to avoid Doklam-type standoff in future.

While the over two-month standoff at Doklam was resolved on August 28 through disengagement of soldiers from both sides, the pass through which many Indian pilgrims go to Kailash Mansarovar in China’s Tibet remained shut.


The Nathu La pass, the second route for Indian pilgrims, was opened in 2015 by China. The new route is shorter than the one through Lipulekh pass. “For a long time, China has made great efforts against all odds to provide necessary convenience to Indian pilgrims,” Geng claimed.