Sikkim standoff: China issues safety advisory for its citizens in India

China has issued a safety advisory for its citizens staying in or travelling to India, in the backdrop of the ongoing standoff between the troops of the countries near the Sikkim sector.

The advisory has asked Chinese citizens to pay attention to the security situation in India as well as to personal security.

"The Chinese Embassy in India is reminding Chinese citizens to pay close attention to the local security situation, improve self-protection awareness, strengthen security, reduce unnecessary travel," the note said.

It also called for Chinese citizens to reduce "unnecessary travel" and carry identification documents, adding that they must strictly obey Indian laws and regulations.

It called on its citizens to pay attention "to personal and property safety, in advance inform family, colleagues, friends (of) travel plans".

"Channels of communication (between the



traveler and family) should be open, (citizens should) carry personal identifications, be cautious.

Chinese citizens should have ".strict compliance with Indian laws and regulations, respect local religious customs and customs," the advisory said.

The advisory, issued through the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, will be valid till August 7. It did not specify why it was being issued.

"It is not a travel alert. It is advisory asking Chinese travellers to be careful," a foreign ministry official told PTI.

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to the safety and lawful rights of Chinese citizens," Geng Shuang, foreign ministry spokesperson had said earlier. "In accordance with the security condition of the relevant country, we will decide whether or not to issue a travel alert," he had said, giving enough indications that Beijing was weighing the possibility of issuing an advisory.