Beijing: China on Tuesday refuted allegations that an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh was harassed at Shanghai airport, saying the actions taken by the Chinese immigration officials were as per laws and regulations.
Pema Wangjom Thongdok, a UK-based Indian citizen who was travelling from London to Japan on November 21, claimed that her three-hour scheduled layover turned into a traumatising ordeal after immigration personnel declared her passport “invalid” solely because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.
Asked for her response to the ordeal Thongdok was subjected to, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning claimed that the woman was not subjected to any compulsory measures, detainment or harassment as alleged by her.
“On the individual case you mentioned, according to what we’ve learned, during the entire time, China’s border inspection authorities carried out check procedures in accordance with laws and regulations,” Mao said.
The law enforcement was impartial and non-abusive, the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected, and no compulsory measures were taken on her, and there was no so-called “detaining” or “harassing,” Mao said.
“The airline provided her with resting facilities and meals,” she said, denying Thongdok’s charges.
She also defended the action taken against Thongdok, saying, “Let me point out that having border checks on people entering and exiting a country and carrying out law enforcement according to the specific situation of the entry or exit is the usual practice of border enforcement authorities of countries across the world”.
About India’s demarche protesting the treatment meted out to Thongdok and New Delhi’s firm assertion that Arunachal Pradesh is very much part of India, Mao reiterated China’s claims over the area, which it calls Zangnan or South Tibet.
“Zangnan is China’s territory, and China does not recognise the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India,” she said.
India lodged a strong demarche (a formal diplomatic protest) to China both in Beijing and in Delhi, on the same day the incident took place, sources in Delhi said.
India firmly conveyed to the Chinese side that Arunachal Pradesh is “indisputably” an Indian territory and its residents are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports.
The Indian Consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter locally and extended the fullest assistance to the stranded passenger, they said.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday said he was “deeply shocked” by the incident and called it a “violation of international norms and an affront to the dignity of Indian citizens.”
In a series of social media posts, Thongdok said Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai airport detained her for 18 hours on the grounds that her passport was “invalid” as her birthplace was Arunachal Pradesh.
She somehow managed to connect to the Indian consulate in Shanghai through a UK-based friend. Officials from the consulate helped her board a late-night flight from the Chinese city, it was learnt.
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