Stapled visas to people of Arunachal Pradesh a 'goodwill' gesture: China
New Delhi: Visiting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi appeared to bowl a googly on Monday night by saying that stapled visas are issued to the residents of Arunachal Pradesh as a “gesture of goodwill” as the area is disputed between the two countries.
The remarks came during a press conference on Monday night at the tail-end of his visit as the special envoy of his country’s President Xi Jinping, to engage with the Narendra Modi government.
The remarks were made against the backdrop of a tremendous show of bonhomie between India and China that has been on display ever since Mr Wang’s arrival here on Sunday for a two-day visit.
Stapled visas have been a major irritant for India. It was raised by the Indian side during the bilateral meeting that Mr Wang had with Ms Sushma Swaraj, here on Sunday.
