China Rejects Harassment Allegations By Arunachal Woman, Reasserts Claim Over The State

China on Tuesday dismissed accusations made by Pema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh currently based in the UK, who said she was mistreated during a layover at Shanghai Airport. The incident has once again brought Beijing’s territorial claims into focus, as China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as “Zangnan,” asserting it as its own territory—claims firmly rejected by India.

Thongdok was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 when her brief transit turned into an 18-hour ordeal. She said Chinese immigration officers declared her Indian passport “invalid” solely because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace, preventing her from boarding her connecting flight. Her social media posts described being held for hours until she managed to contact the Indian Consulate through a friend.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied any wrongdoing, stating that she was “not subjected to any coercive measures, detention or harassment,” and insisting that border officers acted strictly according to regulations. Mao reaffirmed Beijing’s stance, saying China has never recognised what it calls the “illegally established” Arunachal Pradesh.

India strongly objected to the incident. Government officials confirmed lodging a formal protest with Beijing on the same day, calling the detention “baseless” and emphasising that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India whose residents are entitled to use and travel on Indian passports without restriction. They also said the actions of Chinese authorities violated international civil aviation conventions and created unnecessary obstacles to stabilising India–China ties.

Indian missions in Shanghai and Beijing took up the case immediately and provided assistance to Thongdok until she was able to depart on a late-night flight. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the episode as a breach of international norms and an insult to Indian citizens.