New Delhi: India has issued a strong démarche with China, both in Beijing and New Delhi, after an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh was stopped while transiting Shanghai airport and held for more than 18 hours.
The woman, Pema Wangjom Thongdok, later alleged that the Chinese authorities declared her Indian passport invalid and harassed her, saying Arunachal Pradesh is “China”.
“A strong démarche 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 the fullest assistance to the stranded passenger. It was stressed that the passenger had been detained on ludicrous grounds,” according to sources.
“Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory, and its residents are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports.”
Thongdok, an Indian citizen who has been living in the UK for over a decade, was held by the Chinese authorities at the Shanghai airport while travelling to Japan from London. According to her comments to ANI, immigration officials singled her out from a queue and declared her Indian passport invalid. The Chinese officials were “mocking her”, asking her to apply for a Chinese passport.
Indian officials eventually assisted her and resolved the situation.
“It has also been highlighted that the actions of the Chinese authorities are in contravention of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions relating to civil aviation,” according to the sources on the Indian side.
“At a time when both sides are working on restoring normalcy, such actions by the Chinese side introduce unnecessary obstructions to the process.”
The situation has arisen at a time when India and China are working on stabilising bilateral ties, after nearly four and a half years of a diplomatic chill, following the Galwan clashes in 2020 during the summer months.
China has consistently claimed Arunachal Pradesh as part of its country. India has rejected China’s claims, calling the state its indisputable part.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)