Stapled Visa Row: Arunachal Wushu players accreditated by China to participate in Asian Games

The decks have been cleared for the participation of 3 Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh in the Hangzhou Asian Games to be hosted by China after they got necessary accreditation from the organisers.

The players who would be participating in the mega sporting extravaganza are Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega & Mepung Lamgu.

This is a significant development since the 3 players were issued ‘stapled visas’ by the Chinese embassy when they were supposed to participate in the World University Games from July 29 to August 3.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has confirmed about this signifcant development. Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Chief Minister Khandu said, “Elated to know that three Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh, who were earlier issued stapled visas from Chinese embassy for the World University Games, have got their accreditation from Hangzhou Asian Games organisers.
My heartfelt wishes and support go out to Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega & Mepung Lamgu for the international varsity games. Go and bring glory and pride to the nation.”

The mega sporting event is set to take place from September 23 to October 8.

Previously, the Indian Wushu contingent on July 27 was supposed to travel to China for participating in the World University Games, but was told to stay put by the government since the 3 Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh were issued stapled visas. The contingent had Eight wushu players including the trio from Arunachal Pradesh and four team officials.

While all the other nine members of the wushu contingent got their visas on July 20, the three players from Arunachal were told on July 24 to re-apply. However, much to the surprise the players from the frontier state got ‘stapled visa’ on July 26, a day ahead of their departure.

The issuance of stapled visas has been a source of friction between India and China. The Northeastern state’s people continue to receive stapled visas rather than stamped ones from China, which has long asserted territorial claims over the region.

India had lodged a strong protest with China for issuing stapled visas to Indian nationals from Arunachal Pradesh and termed it “unacceptable.”

“Our longstanding and consistent position is that there should be no discrimination or differential treatment on the basis of domicile or ethnicity in the visa regime for Indian citizens holding valid Indian passports,” the MEA had responded to China’s actions.

Many see that China had issued stapled visas to the Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh, after, India in April outrightly rejected China’s attempt to rename places of Arunachal Pradesh.