China seeks fair trial of its citizens held in India
By IANSThursday, January 20, 2011
BEIJING - China Thursday urged India to “properly handle” the issue of the detention of its three nationals held recently by Indian police for straying into Indian territory.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei was quoted by Xinhua as saying that the Chinese embassy in India was contacting the Indian police for further information and asking the Indian side to properly deal with the issue.
Three Chinese nationals, whom the spokesman termed as “tourists”, had recently strayed into Indian territory from Nepal while “travelling near the India-Nepal border and were detained by Indian police”, Hong said.
Hong termed as “groundless” reports that the three Chinese were spies or had engaged in money-laundering.
Indian police said Wednesday that they had arrested three Chinese nationals Monday in Uttar Pradesh.
The Chinese were detained by the Indian border guards Seema Suraksha Bal for crossing over into the Indian side of the Indo-Nepal border at Rupaidiha in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh without passport and visa.
Those arrested were a woman and two men, who claimed to be engineers engaged in installation of mobile phone towers in Nepal on behalf of well-known Chinese cellphone giant, Huawei, which was entrusted with the task.
They were identified as Yu Uyang, Che Rang, and Li Soto.
