India says China issued invalid visas to three Indian athletes for Asian Games

22/9/2023 18:38

        India on Friday strongly protested China's decision to issue invalid visas to some of its athletes for the Asian Games, India's foreign ministry said in a statement, a day before the competition begins in Hangzhou.
        
        According to India's foreign ministry, the three athletes, competing as wushu fighters from the state of Arunachal Pradesh, were issued stapled visas instead of stamped ones.
        
        India does not accept stapled visas as valid. Wei Jizhong, chairman of Olympic Council of Asia's ethics committee, told reporters that China did not refuse entry to the athletes.
        
        The practice of issuing visas on loose sheets of paper has been seen as China's way of questioning India's sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh, which is situated near the border between the two nations.
        
        The foreign ministry said in a statement, in protest, India's sports minister, Anurag Thakur, cancelled his visit to the games.