Arunachal Pradesh – India lodged a strong protest with Beijing after an Arunachal woman detained at Shanghai airport faced harassment and humiliation when Chinese authorities declared her Indian passport invalid on November 21. The incident involving Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who was held for over 18 hours, has sparked a diplomatic row between the two nations and highlighted ongoing territorial disputes over Arunachal Pradesh.
India’s foreign ministry issued a strong demarche to the Chinese side, both in Beijing and in Delhi, on the same day the incident occurred, emphasizing that such actions are unacceptable and contravene international aviation conventions.
18-Hour Ordeal at Shanghai Airport
The Arunachal woman detained at Shanghai’s international airport described her experience as deeply humiliating and distressing. Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who resides in the United Kingdom, was traveling to Japan for a vacation with a planned three-hour layover in Shanghai. Despite holding a valid Japanese visa and Indian passport, immigration officials refused to allow her to board her onward China Eastern Airlines flight.
The Arunachal woman detained by Chinese authorities reported that immigration officials claimed her birthplace of Arunachal Pradesh was Chinese territory, thereby rendering her Indian passport invalid. Throughout her detention, she faced mockery and inappropriate suggestions from airport staff, creating an extremely distressing situation for the traveler.
Harassment and Mockery by Chinese Officials
When the Arunachal woman detained at the airport attempted to question the officials about the issue, she received shocking responses. According to her account, immigration staff stated that “Arunachal is not part of India” and began mocking her while laughing. Officials even suggested that she should apply for a Chinese passport, telling her “you’re Chinese, you’re not Indian.”
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The Arunachal woman detained described the behavior of both immigration staff and airline personnel as “very humiliating and questionable.” This treatment represents a serious violation of diplomatic norms and passenger rights, particularly considering she had transited through Shanghai approximately a year earlier without encountering any problems during her 14 years of residence in the United Kingdom.
Indian Diplomatic Intervention
The situation for the Arunachal woman detained improved only after swift Indian diplomatic intervention. Thongdok contacted the Indian embassies in Shanghai and Beijing, and within an hour, Indian officials arrived at the airport to assist her. The diplomatic personnel provided food, negotiated with Chinese authorities, and worked to resolve the issues preventing her departure.
The prompt response by Indian officials helped the Arunachal woman detained secure her release after the grueling 18-hour ordeal. This quick action demonstrated India’s commitment to protecting its citizens abroad and asserting its territorial sovereignty.
India’s Official Diplomatic Response
India’s foreign ministry took immediate and decisive action regarding the Arunachal woman detained incident. A strong demarche was issued to Chinese representatives in both Beijing and Delhi on November 21 itself. The Indian consulate in Shanghai also addressed the matter locally, providing fullest assistance to the stranded passenger.
Indian officials stressed that the Arunachal woman detained had been held on ludicrous grounds, emphasizing that Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory. They firmly stated that residents of Arunachal Pradesh are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports, making the detention completely unjustified.
Violation of International Aviation Conventions
India highlighted that the treatment of the Arunachal woman detained violated international agreements. Officials pointed out that Chinese authorities’ actions contravened the Chicago and Montreal Conventions relating to civil aviation, which establish standards for international air travel and passenger rights.
The diplomatic note emphasized that at a time when both nations are working toward restoring normalcy in bilateral relations, such actions by the Chinese side introduce unnecessary obstructions to the normalization process.
India’s Consistent Position on Territorial Integrity
India has consistently and firmly rejected Chinese claims over Arunachal Pradesh, maintaining that the northeastern state is an integral and inalienable part of the country. The incident involving the Arunachal woman detained reinforces India’s unwavering stance on this matter.
Pattern of Chinese Territorial Assertions
In recent years, China has resorted to various measures to assert its claims over Arunachal Pradesh. These include renaming dozens of towns and geographical features in the region as part of systematic efforts to lay claim to the territory. The detention of the Arunachal woman detained represents another manifestation of China’s ongoing territorial assertions.
Implications for Bilateral Relations
The case of the Arunachal woman detained at Shanghai airport has significant implications for India-China relations. While both countries have been working toward improving bilateral ties and restoring normalcy following border tensions, such incidents create serious obstacles to the reconciliation process. The treatment of Indian citizens based on their place of birth within Indian territory remains a contentious issue that requires immediate resolution to prevent future diplomatic conflicts.
