China Denies Stopping Ships With Indian Seafarers From Entering Its Ports

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told the media that it has been found that China has never imposed such restrictions.

China today denied imposing an unofficial ban on commercial ships with Indian crew to berth in its ports, saying that Beijing has never imposed such restrictions and the reports were "not accurate". Asked about the reports of the unofficial ban, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here that after consulting relevant departments, it has been found that China has never imposed such restrictions. "The relevant reports by the media are not accurate," he said. The All India Seafarer & General Workers Union, in a recent letter to Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, sought the government's help in saving the jobs of thousands of Indian seamen, as companies are not recruiting them for the China-bound ships. The seafarers' body has claimed that as many as 20,000 seafarers are "home" because of this reason.