'China's stand on stapled visa to Arunachalese a good omen'

BEIJING: China's decision to issue stapled visas to Arunachal Pradesh residents is a good omen, observers of India-China border negotiations, said. It means China accepts people of Arunachal to be Indian citizens, which is major policy change for a country that describes it as its own province of "South Tibet".

"If this news is correct, it is a setback for our stand. Or, a major concession given to India," Hu Shisheng, deputy director in the State-run Institute of South and Southeast Asian Studies, told TNN.

Some Indian observers have taken a different view claiming that stapled visas were continuation of China's policy of putting up obstacles in the way of a negotiated settlement of the boundary problem. But there are signs that the Indian government is secretly happy over the new development as China did not give any visas to residents of Arunachal earlier.

"We have been saying that people of Arunachal Pradesh do not need any visa as it is part of China. If stapled visa has been given, there must be a mutual agreement between the two countries," he said.

There was a "slim chance" of stapled visas being issued by mistake by some official because it is a sensitive issue. "There must have been a change in policy for such a thing to happen" Hu said.

He said the case of Arunachal should not be linked with Kashmir. Residents of Jammu and Kashmir are being given stapled visa because of the dispute between India and Pakistan. "China has said it is ready to change its policies and even redraw the border around Kashmir once India and Pakistan settle their disputes," Hu said.