Pema Khandu said China has no locus standi in Arunachal Pradesh (File)
China has no claim over Arunachal Pradesh since the state has always been a part of India, Chief Minister Pema Khandu asserted.
Referring to the recent denial of regular visas to three Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Mr Khandu claimed that China "unnecessarily" tries to bring in a "political angle" whenever there is an issue related to the border state.
"China has no claims over Arunachal Pradesh. Never in history has Arunachal Pradesh been a part of China. It has always been an integral part of India," he said on the sidelines of the 36th senior national tug of war championship 2023 that began in Tawang.
The three Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh were to represent India in the ongoing Asian Games but China gave them a stapled visa leading to the cancellation of their visit.
Pema Khandu said China has given a new name to Arunachal Pradesh and released a new map but the country has no locus standi.
"Such claims have no meaning," he said, adding that the Ministry of External Affairs has handled the issue since that is the appropriate authority.
Referring to the three Wushu players, the Chief Minister said the state government, as a policy, has given Rs 20 lakh to reward anyone from the state participating in international competitions.
"Since they were selected for the Asian Games and could not go for no fault of theirs, we have decided to give them the money," he said.
Mr Khandu said the state government will ensure the best training for the three players for their preparation for the 2026 Asian Games that will be held in Japan so that they can bring home medals.