India and China signed a six-point agreement to resume the Mansarovar Yatra and Nathula border trade.
International
On December 18, 2024, India and China signed a six-point agreement to restart the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and Nathula border trade. This took place during the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives (SRs) on the China-India Boundary Question in Beijing, China.
- The agreement also covers important issues like cross-border river cooperation, marking a major step toward rebuilding trust between the two countries.
- The signing ceremony was attended by India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
- The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been suspended since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and China's failure to make the required arrangements.
Main Point :- (i) The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is a sacred pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, regarded as the abode of Lord Shiva, and Lake Mansarovar, both holding immense spiritual significance in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon.
(ii) Mount Kailash, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, can be accessed through various routes, including Kathmandu (Nepal), Simikot (Nepal), and Lhasa (Tibet). On the Indian side, the routes go through Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).
(iii) The Nathula border trade, following the ancient Silk Route connecting Sikkim (India) to China, was reopened in 2006 after being closed since the 1962 Sino-Indian War; it operates from May to November each year to promote economic development in the regions around Nathula Pass in both countries.
About China:
President: Xi Jinping
Currency: Renminbi (RMB) or Chinese yua
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