Mamata Banerjee cancels visit after China doesn't confirm political meetings
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has cancelled her visit to China on Friday. She was supposed to fly in the evening to the neighbouring country leading a delegation of industrialists from the state, apparently to explore investment possibilities. According to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, no confirmation from China about the "political meetings" during her proposed visit forced her to cancel it, although the schedule was on track till Thursday.
On Friday afternoon, Banerjee tweeted, "In March this year, the Union Minister of External Affairs had recommended to me to kindly consider leading a delegation to China in the coming months under the Exchange Programme of the Government of India with the International Department of the Communist Party of China."
In March this year, the Union Minister of External Affairs had recommended to me to kindly consider leading a delegation to China in the coming months under the Exchange Programme of the Government of India with the International Department of the Communist Party of China.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 22, 2018
She added that she appreciated External Affairs Minister’s recommendation and offered to visit the neighbouring country during last week of June, 2018.
In response, on April 2, 2018, I appreciated her recommendation for me to lead the delegation to China under the Exchange Programme.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 22, 2018
I mentioned to her that “since the interest of my country is involved, I wish to visit China sometime during last week of June, 2018”.
Giving details of her visit, Banerjee said a programme was chalked out in pursuance of the letters from Chief Secretary and the Ambassador of India in China.
However, the Chinese side could not confirm the political meetings, she said in another tweet.
Thereafter, in pursuance of the letters from Chief Secretary and the Ambassador of India in China, a programme was chalked out, based on which we planned our visit in the coming week.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 22, 2018
Till yesterday, everything was going on well, but unfortunately, the Chinese side could not confirm the political meetings at appropriate level as informed by our Ambassador in China.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 22, 2018
The West Bengal chief minister explained that the non-confirmation of the political meetings compelled them to cancel the visit.
It has now been intimated by our Ambassador in China that the political meetings at the appropriate level under the Exchange Programme could not be confirmed. Therefore, the purpose of my visit with a delegation to China under the Exchange Programme is of no use.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 22, 2018
Although our Ambassador in China had tried his best to make the programme a success, non-confirmation of the political meetings at the appropriate level as proposed by the Indian Ambassador to China, at the last moment, has unfortunately compelled us to cancel the visit.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 22, 2018
Mamata, however, expressed hope that Indo-China friendship will continue and strengthen the interest of the two countries.
However, I wish the continuation of the friendship of India and China in the days to come and it should strengthen further in the interest of both the countries.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 22, 2018
State finance minister Amit Mitra, who also announced the cancellation of Mamata Banerjee's visit to China along with state chief secretary Malay Kumar De at the state secretariat, pointed out that the chief minister's visit in absence of any confirmation from China to the Indian Ambassador in that country would not serve any purpose.
