New Delhi: China on Wednesday stated that it had cancelled a joint issue of commemorative stamps to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations due to lack of “feedback” from India, even as the Indian external affairs minister stated that relations with Beijing were at their “most difficult phase”.China’s State Post Bureau had announced on Tuesday that plans to jointly launch a stamp commemorating the important diplomatic anniversary had been cancelled, as a per a Reuters report on Tuesday. There had been no more details given by the Chinese state agency for the event.Regarding cancellation of joint issue of commemorative stamp to mark 70th anni of dipl ties btw #China & #India, the reason is Indian side had not given feedback before launch time agreed by both sides. China State Post Bureau made the notice according to customary practices.— Ji Rong (@ChinaSpox_India) December 9, 2020On Wednesday, the Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong stated that the joint issue had been cancelled as the “Indian side had not given feedback before launch time agreed by both sides”.Originally scheduled for launch in April, the special stamp would have shown the Mogao Caves, a site in China’s Gansu province where the Buddhist grottoes reflect the two countries’ cultural links, Reuters stated.The joint launch of the stamp had been part of a series of events drawn up by the two countries at the second informal summit between India and China in October 2019. However, most of the events got cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic – and then, due to rising tensions between the two Asian countries whose armies are in the midst of an ongoing stand-off in eastern Ladakh for over seven months.Also read | Core Issue Remains That Troops Should Not Be Amassed at Border: India To ChinaSpeaking at an online webinar with Australian think-tank Lowy Institute, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said, “We are today probably at the most difficult phase of our relationship with China. Certainly in 30-40 years…maybe even more”Stating that the casualties suffered by the Galwan valley face-off had changed “national sentiments” completely, Jaishankar added, “Today, how do we get the relationship back on track. That is a very big issue”.He asserted that India was “very clear that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC [Line of Actual Control] is the basis for the rest of the relationship to progress”.Noting that communication channels at various levels were buzzing, Jaishankar said, “Communication is not the issue. The issue is that we have agreements and those agreements are not being observed”.