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Beijing. China on Tuesday denied allegations that an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh was harassed at Shanghai airport. China said that the action taken by Chinese immigration officers was in accordance with the law and rules. Pema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen living in Britain, was going from London to Japan on 21 November. He claimed that his three-hour scheduled stay took a turn for the worse when the immigration officials declared his passport ‘invalid’ merely because Arunachal Pradesh was mentioned as his birthplace.
When asked to respond to the incident with Thongdok, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning claimed that the woman was not subjected to any kind of compulsory measures, detention or harassment, as she alleged. Mao said that the airline had also made arrangements for rest, food and drinks for them.
Mao said, “We learned that China’s border inspection officers have completed all procedures in accordance with laws and regulations and fully protected the legal rights and interests of the person concerned.” He also reiterated China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls Jangnan or South Tibet. He said, “Jangnan is a part of China. China has never recognized the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India.”
Sources in Delhi said that India had lodged a strong protest (demarche – a formal diplomatic protest) with China both in Beijing and Delhi on the day of the incident. India clearly told the Chinese side that Arunachal Pradesh is “without any doubt” Indian territory and the people there have every right to hold Indian passports and travel with it. He said that the Indian Consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter at the local level and provided full assistance to the stranded passenger.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday said she was “deeply shocked” by the incident and called it a “violation of international standards and an attack on the dignity of Indian citizens”. In a series of posts on social media, Thongdok said he was detained by Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai airport for 18 hours on the grounds that his passport was ‘invalid’ as Arunachal Pradesh was listed as his birthplace.
With the help of a friend living in Britain, she somehow managed to contact the Indian Consulate in Shanghai. According to the information, the Consulate officials helped him board a late night flight from the Chinese city.
