IANS reported more than 40 years after bad blood between India and China closed down the Indian consulate in Tibetan capital Lhasa, a Chinese foreign ministry official says New Delhi can re-open it any time it wants.
"India can set up a consulate in Lhasa," said Jujian Hua, director at Tibet’s Foreign Affairs Office. "That depends on India".
The Indian consulate in Lhasa was closed following the tumult in Tibet beginning from the 1950s after China annexed the former Buddhist kingdom and the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India following a failed uprising in 1959, three years later, China attacked India and the Indian consulate in Lhasa was closed.
At present, Nepal is the only country to be allowed a consulate in Lhasa, the Forbidden City.
Besides India, The U.S. is also seeking to open a consulate in Lhasa, the U.S. Congress has previously passed funding for the establishment of a consulate in Tibet, which is dependent on approval from the Chinese government.
Information for this report was provided by IANS.