Chief minister Mamata Banerjee cancels China visit after Beijing fails to confirm event details

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee cancelled her visit to China just hours before leaving on Friday night.

According to sources, the Chinese government did not get back to her regarding the event details which was to be held in Beijing.

In a series of tweets, the chief minister said the External Affairs ministry had recommended a visit under the exchange programme with the international department of Communist Party of China(CPC).

"I appreciated the recommendation for me to lead the delegation to China under the exchange programme since the interest of my country is involved, I wish to visit China sometime during last week of June," the chief minister tweeted.

"Till yesterday, everything was going on well, but unfortunately, the Chinese side could not confirm the political meetings at the appropriate level as informed by our Ambassador in China," she said, adding "a programme was chalked out, based on which we planned our visit in the coming week."

"It has now been intimated by our ambassador in China that the political meetings at the appropriate level under the exchange programme could not be confirmed. Therefore, the purpose of my visit with a delegation to China under the exchange programme is of no use," the upset chief minister declared.

"Although our ambassador in China had tried his best to make the programme a success, non-confirmation of the political meetings at the appropriate level as proposed by the Indian ambassador to China, at the last moment, has unfortunately compelled us to cancel the visit," she ruefully added, however asserting that she wished to continue friendship between Indian and China in the interest of both countries.