Recently, an Indian national from Arunachal Pradesh was temporarily detained at a Chinese airport because Chinese officials rejected her passport — claiming she was from “Zangnan” (China’s name for Arunachal Pradesh) or “South Tibet.

Historical Background

• Origin of the Boundary: The McMahon Line, drawn by Sir Henry McMahon during the 1914 Simla Convention, placed Arunachal Pradesh (then NEFA) within India.
• China’s Objection: China considers the McMahon Line illegal and a colonial legacy.
• Tibet’s Status Argument: China argues Tibet was not independent at the time and lacked the authority to sign the treaty.
• China’s Claim Over Arunachal: China views Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet.
• Territorial Claim: China claims 90,000 sq km of Arunachal territory.
• Provocation Tactic: These actions are deliberate provocations intended to create “mini-crises” and assert sovereignty.

China’s Tactics and Strategic Reasons

• Grey-Zone Warfare: China uses incremental provocations to subdue an enemy without fighting, as stated by Sun Tzu.
• Stapled Visa Incident: China denied entry to Wushu athletes from Arunachal by issuing stapled visas.
  • A stapled visa is an unstamped visa page attached to a passport using staples or a pin, unlike regular visas which are affixed and stamped directly on the passport.
  • China issues stapled visas as part of its territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh. 
  • India does not recognize them as legitimate travel documents.
• Renaming Places: China renamed 30 places in Arunachal using new Chinese names.
• Strategic Importance of Tawang: Tawang houses the world’s second-largest monastery and is the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama.
  • China fears the next Dalai Lama could be identified in Tawang, weakening its control over Tibet.
• Political–Religious Motive: The claim is tied to political control and religious legitimacy.

Way Forward

• Political & Diplomatic Stand: India must treat the incident seriously to prevent China’s actions from becoming a “new normal,” asserting that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
• Strengthen Border Infrastructure & Military Readiness: Accelerate projects like the Sela Tunnel and boost troop deployment in the Eastern Sector to deter misadventures.
• Counter Provocations: Respond to every minor provocation and remain vigilant against China’s salami-slicing tactics—incremental actions aimed at achieving larger strategic gains covertly.

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Conclusion

China’s provocations in Arunachal—stapled visas, renaming places, and mini-crises—threaten India’s sovereignty and strategic areas like Tawang. India must respond firmly through diplomacy, border readiness, and countering every provocation to prevent normalization.

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