A diplomatic row has erupted between India and China after Ms Pema Wangjom Thongdok, a United Kingdom-based Indian citizen originally from Arunachal Pradesh, was detained for 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong Airport on Nov 21 during a layover en route to Japan.
The incident has triggered fierce backlash in New Delhi, with India accusing China of violating international travel norms and undermining recent bilateral efforts at rapprochement, reported the BBC.
Ms Pema’s ordeal allegedly began when Chinese immigration officials flagged her Indian passport due to her birthplace being listed as Arunachal Pradesh — a state over which China claims sovereignty, referring to it as “South Tibet” or “Zangnan”.
Despite holding a valid Japanese visa and qualifying for China’s 24-hour visa-free transit rule, she was denied onward boarding and subjected to hours of interrogation, during which she claims officials mocked her nationality and suggested she was Chinese.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was swift to act, lodging a strong protest with Beijing both through diplomatic channels and on the ground, reported The Times of India.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the detention “arbitrary” and in violation of international air travel conventions and China’s own visa-free transit policy.
“No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change the indisputable reality that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India,” he asserted.
China, however, denied any wrongdoing. Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that the incident was a lawful “check” and not a detention.
She insisted Ms Pema’s rights were respected, and that she was provided food and rest facilities. But Beijing also doubled down on its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, stating: “The Chinese side has never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India.”
The timing of the incident is particularly sensitive. After years of frosty relations post-Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, both countries had taken cautious steps toward normalisation, including resuming flights, high-level visits, and military de-escalation talks.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Delhi in August and called for India and China to be “partners, not threats”.
Ms Pema’s treatment, however, has now cast a shadow over that fragile thaw.
Indian officials described China’s actions as “most unhelpful” in building mutual trust, with implications for people-centric diplomacy. The MEA reiterated that maintaining peace and stability along the border is a prerequisite for normal bilateral ties.
Ms Pema’s personal account has also struck a chord back home, reported the Hindustan Times. She described the episode as humiliating and politically motivated, saying she had transited through Shanghai several times before without incident.
“When I asked them what the issue was, they said, ‘Arunachal is not part of India’ and mocked me,” she told ANI. Her social media posts defending her Indian identity and calling for unity went viral, reinforcing the symbolic weight of her experience.
RELATED STORIES
27 Nov 2025 12:38
