A large number of Indians are working in different sectors in China. To understand the problems and concerns faced by the Indian community, the Indian Embassy in Beijing held its first-ever ‘Open House’ meeting recently. Indian Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami, along with advisers Nitin Jeet Singh and Ramesh Singh, attended the meeting and listened to the views and concerns of Indians living and working in China. During the meeting, Indian community members said that negative and insulting comments about Indians have increased on Chinese social media platforms. Some of these comments are related to Indian food habits, culture and lifestyle. They also said that the number of work visas being issued to Indian professionals by China has been declining. In addition, restrictions on spouses accompanying Indian professionals and working in China have increased. Responding to these concerns, Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami said that efforts are being made to improve India-China bilateral relations. He said the Chinese government is also concerned about the increase in abusive and misleading content targeting Indians on Chinese social media. Steps are being taken to address the issue.
The Indian Embassy is also using its social media platforms to share accurate information and counter misinformation. Following the positive response to annual events such as the Vasant Mela, the embassy plans to organise more cultural programmes to showcase India’s diverse culture, traditions and food. The embassy is also working with legal experts to create a support system for Indians who face employment-related problems in China. Ambassador Doraiswami said that the embassy plans to organise ‘Open House’ meetings regularly to improve consular services and address the concerns of the Indian community. He also said that from next week, the embassy will further simplify the document requirements for Chinese citizens applying for Indian visas, with the aim of making travel to India easier.
