Making a prompt move in the absence of any confirmation of scheduled “political meetings at the appropriate level from the other side”, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday called off her China visit hours before she was to take the plane to Beijing.

According to inside reports the Chief Minister who was heading an Indian delegation to the neigbouring country for engagements both at “political” and business levels canceled the trip as “visiting Shanghai only and not engaging each other politically would be futile.”

State Finance Minister Amit Mitra said in consequence of a request from the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to lead an Indian delegation to China, Banerjee had agreed and offered to visit that country sometime in June.

However, she had to call off the tour on Friday as “political meetings at the appropriate level were not confirmed by the Chinese Government despite reminders from our side and sincere efforts made by the Indian Ambassador and the External Affairs Department,” Dr Mitra said adding both Sushma Swaraj who was currently abroad and Foreign Secretary VKGokhale had been informed about the cancellation of Banerjee’s visit to China.

The Chief Minister later tweeted, “till yesterday everything was going well. But the Chinese side could not confirm the political meetings at appropriate level as informed by our Ambassador in 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,” Banerjee wrote on the FB adding “I mentioned to her (Swaraj) that since the interest of my country is involved, I wish to visit China sometime during the last week of June.”

She added, “it has been intimated by our Ambassador to China that 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.”However she wished “the continuation of the friendship of India and China in the days to come” and “it should strengthen further in the interest of the both the countries.”

On whether the cancellation of the visit could impact business opportunities between China and India (read Bengal) as there were talks of some Chinese investment in this part of the country post Banerjee’s visit, State Government sources refused comment.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Saturday, 23 June 2018 | Saugar Sengupta | Kolkata