Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui just had a telephonic call with soldier Wang Qi, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media here today answering questions on the status of the soldier's return to China.
"In recent years, Chinese Embassy to India had kept in close touch with Wang Qi and made relentless effort to help him return to China including pushing Indian side on exit and entry procedures for him," he said.
Wang says he was caught in 1963, a year after India-China war when he strayed into Indian side.
After his release from prison in 1969, Wang shifted to Tirodi village in Madhya Pradesh where he married a local woman and settled there ever since. He had three children and grand children.
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Asked what would happen to Wang's wife and children, Lu referred to the ambassador's phone conversation with Wang.
"I instructed the Embassy to keep in touch with you, to know your ideas and provide assistance as much as possible, including the replacement of your passport," he said, according to a statement in Chinese language posted on China's embassy website in New Delhi.
"We have been in contact with the Government of India regarding your visit to China. We also fully understand that you have relatives in China. In India, you have a wife, children and grandchildren. Both countries have relatives who are part of family," Luo said, adding that Wang has to make a "thoughtful and appropriate choice".
While he wants to visit China to meet relatives, he also wants to return back to be with his Indian wife and children which may be a problem for India considering his background.
Wang's plight has been highlighted recently in the Chinese media following a BBC television report on him.
Helping Wang to return to home will enhance mutual understanding and contribute to warming bilateral ties, state-run Global Times said in oped page article few days ago.
"Although it's unclear whether Wang is a prisoner of war, it is inhumane to have isolated the elderly man from his family for such a long time," the article said.
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