Asian Games 2023: Sports Minister cancels China visit over visa denial to Arunachal athletes

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has cancelled his scheduled trip to China for the 2023 Asian Games as a mark of protest.

The development comes as a mark of protest after three wushu players from India, Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega, and Mepung Lamgu, were denied entry to China.

“A strong protest has been lodged in New Delhi and Beijing against China’s deliberate and selective obstruction of some of our sportspersons. 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,” said Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement.

Also Read: China Asserts Territorial Claims: Release of 2023 Edition Map Raises Concerns Ahead of G20 Summit

The Opening Ceremony of the Asian Games is scheduled to be held on Saturday. The Games will go on till October 8.

Bagchi accused China of discriminating against some Indian athletes in a ‘targeted and pre-meditated manner’.

“The Government of India has learnt that the Chinese authorities have, in a targeted and pre-meditated manner, discriminated against some of the Indian sportspersons from the state of Arunachal Pradesh by denying them accreditation and entry to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. 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,” he emphasised before adding: “Government of India reserves the right to take suitable measures to safeguard our interests.”

Also Read: India Strongly Protests China’s 2023 ‘Standard Map’ Claiming Indian Territory

China’s response

Meanwhile, in response to reports about Indian players being denied entry to China, the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Friday said, “As the host country, China welcomes athletes from all countries to come to Hangzhou to participate in the Asian Games with legal documents.”

“As to the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’, the Chinese government doesn’t recognise it. Zangnan (southern part of Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region) is part of China’s territory,” Ning said.