Key points
- UK based Indian citizen Pema Wangjom Thongdok, originally from Arunachal Pradesh, was transiting Shanghai on a London to Japan journey when immigration declared her Indian passport “invalid” because it listed Arunachal as her place of birth.
- She alleges she was kept at the airport for around 18–19 hours, confined to the transit area with limited information and basic facilities, before Indian consular intervention helped her leave China.
- China says its border officers acted strictly according to Chinese laws and regulations, claiming she was neither detained nor harassed, and that the airline provided her with food and a place to rest.
- Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated that China does not recognise Arunachal Pradesh, referring to the area as Zangnan and calling it Chinese territory, and justified the actions of border inspectors.
- India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest in Beijing and New Delhi, calling the treatment absurd, unacceptable and contrary to international aviation norms, while stressing that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
- Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the episode as an affront to the dignity of Indian citizens and a violation of international norms, reaffirming that the state will always remain part of India.
- The incident has revived concerns that China is extending its long criticised tactics, such as stapled visas and map claims, into transit situations affecting Arunachal residents.
Pema Wangjom Thongdok, who hails from Rupa in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh and now lives in the UK, was travelling from London to Japan with a scheduled three-hour layover at Shanghai Pudong Airport on 21 November. She has said on social media that the stopover turned into a traumatic ordeal of more than 18 hours after Chinese immigration officers pulled her aside, declared her Indian passport invalid and questioned her because her birthplace is recorded as Arunachal Pradesh.
According to her account, she was kept inside the transit area, her passport was taken away, and she faced prolonged questioning, with uncertainty over whether she would be allowed to continue her journey or be sent back. She eventually managed to contact the Indian consulate in Shanghai through friends in the UK, after which Indian officials intervened and helped her board a late-night flight out of China.
China’s denial and controversial remarks on Arunachal
Asked about the case at a regular press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said border inspection authorities had handled the matter strictly in line with Chinese laws and regulations, fully safeguarding what she described as the passenger’s lawful rights and interests. She asserted that the woman had not been subjected to any compulsory measures, confinement or harassment, and added that the airline had arranged a place for her to rest along with drinks and food.
Mao went further by using the episode to restate Beijing’s territorial position, saying that Zangnan is Chinese territory, and that China has never accepted the “so-called” Arunachal Pradesh established by India, language that directly challenges India’s sovereignty over the state. Chinese officials framed the incident as a routine border control process, arguing that immigration checks and case-based enforcement are standard practice worldwide, even as they refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing.
India’s strong protest and political backlash
India has responded sharply, with New Delhi lodging a strong demarche both at the Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing and at the Chinese embassy in the Indian capital. Government sources quoted in reports say India conveyed that Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably part of India, that its residents are fully entitled to carry and travel on Indian passports, and that stopping an Indian citizen based on place of birth is unacceptable and irrational.
Officials also argued that the episode runs counter to international aviation norms and civil aviation conventions, and warned that such conduct introduces unnecessary friction into an already strained bilateral relationship. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu called the treatment appalling and a violation of international norms, describing the incident as an insult to both India’s sovereignty and the people of his state, while reiterating that Arunachal Pradesh will always remain an integral part of India.
Wider context, border dispute and travel concerns
Thongdok’s experience has revived long-standing concerns in India’s northeast that China is extending its tactics beyond visa policies and maps into transit control, potentially impacting Arunachal-born travellers even during airport layovers in third countries or in China. For years, Beijing has asserted claims over Arunachal by issuing stapled visas, renaming villages, releasing maps that show Indian territory as Chinese and objecting to Indian leaders’ visits to the state, moves New Delhi has consistently rejected.
Local officials and observers in Arunachal say the Shanghai incident underscores the human cost of this geopolitical dispute, as ordinary citizens may face unexpected hurdles while travelling internationally simply because of where they were born. India, for its part, has emphasized that it will continue to take up such cases firmly and extend full consular support to affected citizens, while pressing China to respect international obligations and the dignity of Indian passport holders.
