Days after it refused entry to around 50 Indian pilgrims for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, China said on Monday that it was in touch with India over continuing the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim.
“According to my information the two governments are in touch over this issue,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Suhang was quoted as saying by a news agency.
The statement from China came after India took up the issue with Beijing. The development comes amid tensions in bilateral ties between the two countries over a host of issues, including the CPEC and India's NSG bid.
According to reports, the pilgrims were stopped by Chinese officials at the Sino-India border and they were scheduled to cross over to the Chinese side on 19 June but failed to do so due to inclement weather and had to wait at the base camp.
On June 23, China denied entry to them citing damaged roads as the reason.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay had said some difficulties were being experienced in the movement of pilgrims through the Nathu La Pass and India was taking up the matter with China.
Hundreds of Indian pilgrims undertake Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China every year.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kazakh capital Astana.
(With inputs from agencies)