China declined to allow to cross border to the mayor of the City of Prague, Pavel Bem, who is going there  to climb Mount Everest with a small Czech-Slovak expedition. Therefore the expedition changed the plan and aims now to the ascent Everest from the South, Nepali side.

The Czech mainstream media (e.g. iDNES) reported that according to the mayor Bem behind the refusal are political reasons, because the mayor represents the Czech conservative governing party which is not friendly to communists.