Beijing [China], November 25 (ANI): China on Tuesday rejected allegations of harassment made by Indian national Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, stating that her “lawful rights and interests were fully protected and no compulsory measures were taken on her.”
Thongdok earlier described a “long ordeal” at Shanghai Pudong Airport, alleging that Chinese immigration officials mocked her, questioned her Indian citizenship, and declared her passport invalid. She said the 18-hour incident ended only after officials from India’s missions in Shanghai and Beijing intervened.
India issued a strong demarche to the Chinese side, both at the Embassy in New Delhi and the Foreign Ministry in Beijing, over the incident.
Responding to media queries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated Beijing’s position, which India has consistently rejected. She maintained that there was no “detaining” or “harassing” by Chinese authorities. “Zangnan is China’s territory. The Chinese side has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally set up by India,” she said.
Mao added that border inspection authorities acted “in accordance with laws and regulations,” and that the airline provided the passenger with meals and resting facilities.
Sources in New Delhi said India had strongly protested the incident, noting that the passenger had been detained on “ludicrous grounds.” They stressed that Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory and its residents are fully entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports. The actions of Chinese authorities, they added, were in contravention of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions on civil aviation.
“A strong demarche was made with the Chinese side, in Beijing and in Delhi, on the same day the incident took place. Our Consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter locally and extended fullest assistance to the stranded passenger,” a source said.
Thongdok also alleged “humiliating, questionable behavior” from China Eastern Airlines staff. She said immigration officials declared her passport invalid and told her, “Arunachal is not part of India,” while mocking her and suggesting she should “apply for a Chinese passport.”
She said she was singled out of the queue, barred from moving forward, and unable to contact her family for several hours. “They were pointing at my passport, laughing, and saying Arunachal is China, not India,” she said.
Thongdok, an Indian citizen who has lived in the United Kingdom for about 14 years, was traveling from London to Japan via Shanghai. She noted that she had transited through Shanghai in the past without issues.
She said officials from the Indian missions reached the airport within an hour of her call, assisted her with food, discussed the matter with Chinese authorities, and helped her leave the country. “A very long ordeal—18 hours—but glad that I’m out of there,” she said.
The incident comes at a time when India and China are seen to be cautiously improving communication following recent high-level interactions. India has firmly rejected China’s claims over Arunachal Pradesh, reaffirming that the state is an integral and inalienable part of India.
Responding in May to China’s attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said, “Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.” (ANI)
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