Beijing, November 25, 2025: The Shanghai airport harassment case involving Pema Wangjom Thongdok has sparked a major diplomatic row between India and China. Chinese authorities have firmly denied all allegations of mistreatment, while India lodged a strong demarche against Beijing. This incident has reignited tensions over China’s controversial claims on Arunachal Pradesh.
The Arunachal woman Shanghai airport case began on November 21, 2025, when Thongdok faced an 18-hour ordeal during what should have been a routine three-hour layover. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning addressed the controversy during a Tuesday press briefing. She claimed that Chinese border inspection authorities followed all laws and regulations throughout the process.
What Really Happened at Shanghai Pudong Airport?
Pema Wangjom Thongdok, a 35-year-old UK-based Indian citizen, was travelling from London to Japan for a vacation. Her journey took an unexpected turn at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. According to her detailed account shared on social media platform X, immigration officials singled her out from the queue.
The officials reportedly declared her Indian passport “invalid” simply because Arunachal Pradesh was listed as her birthplace. They allegedly told her that “Arunachal is not part of India” and started mocking her. Furthermore, they suggested she should “apply for a Chinese passport” since she was supposedly “Chinese, not Indian.”
“When I tried to question them and ask them what the issue was, they said Arunachal is not part of India and started mocking and laughing,” Thongdok stated in her public account of the incident.
The Arunachal woman alleged that her passport was confiscated despite holding a valid Japanese visa. She was confined to the transit area without proper food, basic facilities, or clear explanations. Additionally, staff from China Eastern Airlines allegedly joined immigration officers in pointing at her documents and laughing while referring to Arunachal as Chinese territory.
China’s Official Response to the Allegations
Spokesperson Mao Ning presented Beijing’s version of events during the Tuesday press briefing. She categorically denied any harassment or detention of the Indian woman. According to her statement, “the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected” throughout the entire process.
Mao further claimed that no compulsory measures were taken against Thongdok. The airline reportedly provided the passenger with resting facilities, food, and drinks. However, these claims directly contradict the traveller’s account of being denied proper assistance during her prolonged stay at the airport.
The Chinese official also repeated Beijing’s controversial stance on Arunachal Pradesh. She referred to the region as “Zangnan,” meaning southern Tibet, and stated that China has “never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India.” This position has been consistently rejected by the Indian government.
India Responds with Strong Diplomatic Action
The Government of India wasted no time in responding to this Shanghai airport harassment case. A strong demarche was lodged with Chinese authorities both in Beijing and New Delhi on the same day the incident occurred. The Indian Consulate in Shanghai immediately intervened to assist the stranded passenger.
Government sources emphasised that the passenger had been detained on “ludicrous grounds.” They firmly stated that Arunachal Pradesh is “indisputably Indian territory” and its residents are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports. Moreover, officials highlighted that Chinese actions violated the Chicago and Montreal Conventions relating to civil aviation.
The consular intervention eventually helped Thongdok board a late-night flight out of China. She has since reached Bangkok to continue her disrupted journey to Japan. Meanwhile, she has formally requested the Ministry of External Affairs to take up this matter strongly with Beijing.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Condemns the Incident
Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed his outrage over the treatment of his state’s citizen. He called the incident “deeply shocking” and described it as a “violation of international norms.” The Chief Minister termed Chinese officials’ behaviour as “humiliation and racial mockery” against an Indian citizen.
“Subjecting her, despite a valid Indian passport, to such treatment is appalling. Arunachal Pradesh is and will always remain an integral part of India. Any insinuation otherwise is baseless and offensive,” CM Khandu stated strongly.
Thongdok hails from Rupa in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Her father, the late L.D. Thongdok, was a senior engineer in the state PWD and a prominent technocrat. She has been living in the United Kingdom for approximately 14 years while maintaining her Indian citizenship.
The Larger Context of India-China Relations
This Arunachal woman Shanghai airport incident comes at a particularly sensitive time for bilateral relations. Both countries have recently been working to ease tensions following their 2020 border standoff. Senior leaders from both nations have engaged in diplomatic interactions aimed at improving ties.
China has historically claimed Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, calling it “Zangnan” or southern Tibet. Beijing has repeatedly renamed places in the Indian state as part of what critics call “cartographic warfare.” In May 2025 alone, China released a fifth batch of standardised geographical names for 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh.
India has consistently and firmly rejected these claims. The Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly stated that “creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.” The state has been administered by India since independence and remains fully integrated into the Indian Union.
International Norms and Traveller Rights
The Shanghai airport harassment case raises serious questions about international aviation protocols. India pointed out that Chinese authorities’ actions contravened established international conventions governing civil aviation. Travellers holding valid passports and visas should not face harassment based on geopolitical disputes.
Thongdok mentioned she had transited through Shanghai previously without any problems. This time, however, her birthplace became grounds for what she described as “traumatising” treatment. She has requested compensation for harassment, distress, mental suffering, and financial losses incurred due to missed flights and hotel bookings.
The incident has generated significant attention on social media and political circles across India. Various political parties have condemned China’s actions. Many have called upon the government to ensure no Indian citizen, particularly those from Arunachal Pradesh, faces similar treatment in the future.
Moving Forward After the Controversy
Despite China’s denial of all allegations, the diplomatic fallout from this incident continues. The stark contrast between Beijing’s official narrative and Thongdok’s detailed personal account highlights the complexity of India-China relations. Both nations maintain fundamentally opposed positions on Arunachal Pradesh’s status.
For Thongdok, who chose to retain her Indian citizenship despite living abroad for many years, this experience was deeply hurtful. She expressed that she never gave up her Indian passport because she loves her country. Her ordeal serves as a reminder of how geopolitical tensions can directly impact ordinary citizens.
The Indian government has assured that it will continue to support citizens facing such situations abroad. Additionally, there are calls for establishing protocols to protect travellers from Arunachal Pradesh during international transit through China.
