India-China officials had 12-hour standoff at hotel during G20 over ‘suspicious’ bag

China’s delegation to the G20 refused a security scan of their bags at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi on September 7, leading to a 12-hour stand-off between the two sides, according to two separate reports citing sources.

The unusual dimensions of the luggage caught the attention of the security force, the Times of India reported Wednesday citing sources from the security team at the five-star hotel.

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The bag was let in upon instruction from the Indian side to permit all diplomatic carry-ons without scrutiny.

However, a staff member having noticed “suspicious equipment” within the bag after it was taken to the room, alerted Indian officials who called for a scan, according to an NDTV report citing sources.

When the scan was rejected by the Chinese delegates, it led to a 12-hour-long standoff between security officials, TOI reported.

Indian officials were posted outside the hotel room until the Chinese delegates agreed to move the bag to the local embassy, NDTV reported.

The contents of the suitcase were not revealed.

Brazilian president Lula da Silva was reportedly living in the same hotel.

TOI also reported that Chinese officials had requested for a separate and private internet connection, which was refused by the hotel.

At a time when most world leaders attended the G20 summit, including US President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not attend.

Instead, China was represented by Premier Li Qiang in an attempt to smother Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to deliver sound outcomes from the event.

The meeting’s outcome, laid out in a joint communique, including the elevation of the African Union as a full G20 member, has been widely seen as a success marking India’s first ever presidency.

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