19th Asian Games Hangzhou: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Cancels China Visit After Arunachal’s Wushu Fighters Denied Visa

New Delhi: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has cancelled his visit to China for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou after Chinese authorities denied accreditation and entry to some sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh to the Games.

“The government of India has learnt that the Chinese authorities have, in a targeted and pre-meditated manner, discriminated against some Indian sportspersons from the state of Arunachal Pradesh by denying them accreditation and entry to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China,” said
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

“In line with our long-standing and consistent position, India firmly rejects differential treatment of Indian citizens on the basis of domicile or ethnicity.
Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. A strong protest has been lodged in New Delhi and Beijing against China’s deliberate and selective obstruction of some of our sportspersons,” he added.

The MEA said that China’s action violates both the spirit of the Asian Games and the rules governing their conduct, which explicitly prohibits discrimination against competitors from member states.

“As a mark of our protest against the Chinese action, the Union sports minister has cancelled his scheduled visit to China for the Games. The government of India reserves the right to take suitable measures to safeguard our interests,” added Bagchi.

Several media reports stated that three Indian martial arts athletes from Arunachal Pradesh have been forced to pull out of the Asian Games after not receiving clearance from the host country. The three women are wushu fighters. Wushu, or kung fu, is a multi-disciplinary martial art originating in China. The trio was approved to take part in the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee, but were unable to download their accreditation cards — which act as visas to enter China. The rest of the 10-member squad along with the coaching staff left for the Games in Hangzhou on Wednesday, according to agency reports.

Notably, earlier in July, the Indian wushu team did not travel to the Chinese city of Chengdu for the World University Games after the same three athletes were issued stapled, rather than pasted, visas, an indication that Beijing does not recognise India’s territorial claim over Arunachal Pradesh, said some media reports.

The move triggered angry reactions from the Indian side with the foreign ministry saying it was “unacceptable”.