Members of the Indian diaspora in China raised concerns over anti-India content on Chinese social media, declining work visas for Indian professionals and restrictions on employment for spouses during the Indian Embassy's first Open House in recent years.
The outreach programme was held in Beijing on Friday, where Indian Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami, Counsellor (Consular, Education and Community Affairs) Nitinjeet Singh and Counsellor (Visa) Ramesh Singh interacted with members of the Indian community working across various sectors.
Participants raised issues including abusive content targeting Indians, their culture and food habits on Chinese social media platforms, a decline in work visas for Indian professionals, restrictions on employment for spouses and difficulties related to consular services.
Doraiswami said the Chinese government was aware of the increase in anti-India content on social media and was taking steps to address the issue. He added that the Indian Embassy was countering misinformation by sharing fact-based information through its official social media platforms.
The ambassador said the embassy also plans to organise more cultural events, building on the response to programmes such as the Vasant Mela, to promote India's diverse culture and cuisine.
He added that the mission is working to establish a network of legal professionals to assist Indians facing work-related issues in China.
Doraiswami, who assumed office in May, said the embassy would simplify documentation requirements for Chinese nationals applying for Indian visas from next week to facilitate travel to India.
He also said the embassy plans to hold Open House interactions regularly to improve consular services and address concerns raised by the Indian community in China.