India on Tuesday reacted sharply to an article in the state-run media here that defended kidnappings of Indian traders at China's leading commodity trade hub in Yiwu, saying it has made the case for two travel advisories issued by New Delhi "even more compelling".
The article in the Global Times on Tuesday criticised two strong advisories issued by the Indian Embassy here warning Indian traders of dangers in doing business at Yiwu in the aftermath of recent incidents of kidnapping and ill-treatment by local traders.
The article 'Slandering Yiwu puts honest dealers at risk' authored by a local professor of law states such incidents happened because of Indian traders defaulted on payments causing huge losses to local traders.
"Those Indian merchants who deliberately don't pay for their goods betray the trust of their Yiwu counterparts and damage the interests of the sellers," the article said.
"It is understandable that the sellers may adopt some radical actions to demand payment, given the potential damage to their business," it said.
In a letter to the newspaper, Indian Embassy spokesman Vinayak Chavan said, "It is extraordinary that a professor of law finds 'understandable' what he himself describes as solving 'the issue by force' that includes 'illegal detaining' of Indians."
"The prevalence of such views and that your newspaper has chosen to print them makes the case for our advisory even more compelling," Chavan said.
"The professor from Yiwu thinks that 'radical actions' are a solution to trade disputes. Others like us expect, perhaps optimistically, the rule of law," he said.In January, two Indians Shyam Sudner Agrawal and Deepk Raheja who were held illegally for about a fortnight in Yiwu by local traders. They were freed following Indian diplomatic intervention.
