G20 Summit:12-Hour Standoff With Chinese Delegation At Delhi’s 5 Star Over Bags With ‘Unusual Dimensions’

New Delhi: There was a 12-hour drama and tension in Delhi’s Taj Palace Hotel last Thursday where the Chinese delegation for the G20 summit had checked in. The security team at the hotel noticed a member carrying a bag with “unusual dimensions”. They, however, allowed the bags following the diplomatic protocols.

Later, in one of the rooms occupied by the delegation, a hotel employee spotted “suspicious equipment” inside two bags. After the security department was informed, the officials requested the delegation members to put the bags through a scanner, but they resisted and reportedly attempted to pass it off as ‘diplomatic baggage’.

Their denial led to a standoff and was resolved only after the Chinese officials agreed to send the bags to the embassy.

“The security team stood guard outside the hotel room for about 12 hours, but the Chinese officials refused to get their bags checked,” a source told NDTV.

“The Chinese delegation, after a long discussion, then moved their bags to the embassy,” the source said.

The G20 summit was held in the national capital on September 9-10. Chinese President Xi Jinping had skipped the mega summit, and the country’s delegation was led by Premier Li Qiang.