German Voice reported on April 28: "After a five-year hiatus, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that this summer will see the resumption of Indian pilgrims traveling to Tibet for worship. This move is seen as the latest sign of improving relations between China and India."
The Indian Foreign Ministry had previously announced that it would organize Indian pilgrims to travel to the sacred sites of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China from June to August this year. The pilgrimage will take place via two routes: Nathu La Pass and Purang Port in Uttarakhand State. Each group will consist of 50 people, and relevant application work has already begun.
The resumption of this pilgrimage indeed sends out positive signals, highlighting the improvement in Sino-Indian relations. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 and the border conflict between China and India, the pilgrimage activities for Indian citizens to these two places have been suspended. Now that they are being resumed, there are multiple implications. From the perspective of cultural exchange, Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar are regarded by followers of multiple religions as "sacred mountain and lake," and pilgrimage activities are an important component of cultural exchanges between China and India. Resuming pilgrimages helps enhance communication and understanding between the two peoples in religious culture and fosters friendly feelings among the public. In terms of the economy, Indian media mentioned that the reopening of the pilgrimage route will greatly boost the local economy and tourism in related areas of India and inject vitality into the tourism industry in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. From a political standpoint, this is an embodiment of both sides implementing the important consensus of their leaders, adding bricks to the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, and fitting the special node of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India this year. It is expected to become a new starting point for further warming of bilateral relations.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830721140573252/
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