China asks Indian businessmen to operate legally, honestly

BEIJING: Amid a raging row over illegal detention and torture of two Indian traders in Yiwu, China today hoped that India will "positively educate" its nationals doing business here to abide by the Chinese laws, practise honesty and operate legally.

Commenting on the incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that "China is a country under the rule of law," adding that China values its friendship with India and always protects the legal rights of foreigners, including Indian citizens.

"China hopes that the Indian side can positively educate and guide the country's people doing business in China to abide by Chinese laws and regulations, practise honesty and trustworthiness and operate legally," Hong said.

He said the two Indian businessmen -- Shyamsunder Agrawal and Deepak Raheja -- were "caught in disputes with local business people" and had left the eastern Chinese city of Yiwu yesterday with an official from the Indian Consulate General in Shanghai.

"During their stay in Yiwu, they were put up in hotels and allowed to act freely, and their security was not hindered when they went out to eat," Hong claimed.

Chinese traders were unwilling to let the two Indians go asserting that their company owed millions of Yuan for products bought from them and they would be permitted to leave only after payments were made.

The two Indians, who were shifted to Shanghai last night, are expected to be in the eastern Chinese city for the next few days until they recuperate from scars of torture and ill-treatment suffered at the hands of the local traders.

China yesterday assured India that it has initiated criminal proceedings against five locals suspected for the torture of the two Indians.