Source– The post is based on the article “Politicising exchanges” published in “The Hindu” on 25th September 2023.
Syllabus: GS2- Bilateral groupings and agreements
Relevance- India and China bilateral relationship
News– Recently, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur cancelled his visit to China to protest the last-minute denial of entry to three Indian Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh.
Why is denial of entry to athletes a cause of concern?
The three athletes were granted the necessary accreditation to travel along with the rest of the Indian team to the Games.
The decision to prevent the athletes from travelling is punitive because digital accreditations, not visas, were required for their travel.
What are other examples of China using the sporting event as a tool of foreign policy to counter India?
China has issued stapled visas to Indian citizens from Arunachal Pradesh. In July, three wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh who were supposed to participate in the World University Games in Chengdu received stapled visas.
In February of the previous year, Beijing selected the commander of the People’s Liberation Army involved in the Galwan Valley clash as one of the torchbearers for the Winter Olympics.
Why is China indulging in such types of practices?
The recent action by China highlights the ongoing lack of trust in bilateral relations and the absence of effective communication channels to address long-standing issues.
As per Indian stand, normalizing relations will not be possible until the disengagement process along the Line of Actual Control is completed and peace is restored in border areas.
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