India Issues Strong Demarche to China After Arunachal Citizen Humiliated at Shanghai Airport

Unacceptable Affront to Sovereignty: The Shanghai Airport Ordeal

The diplomatic relationship between India and China has been severely strained by a recent incident involving the alleged harassment of an Indian citizen, Prema Thongdok, at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The core of the issue: Chinese immigration officials declared her Indian passport invalid solely because her birthplace was listed as Arunachal Pradesh. China refers to this state as Zangnan or ‘South Tibet’, an integral part of its long-standing and contested territorial claim against India.

The woman, a UK resident transiting from London to Japan, was detained for nearly 18 hours. She reported being mocked and told by officials that she was essentially a Chinese citizen and should apply for a Chinese passport. This incident is seen as a new, aggressive escalation of China’s policy, which traditionally manifested through the issuance of ‘stapled visas’ for residents of Arunachal Pradesh instead of regular stamped visas.

India’s Firm Diplomatic Counter: Issuing a Demarche

In a swift and sharp diplomatic response, the Government of India, through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), issued a strong demarche to the Chinese side, both in Beijing and New Delhi.

The India China Arunachal Demarche underscored several critical points:

• Territorial Integrity: India reiterated, in no uncertain terms, that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. The MEA spokesperson stressed that “no amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality.”
• Violation of Norms: New Delhi highlighted that the actions of the Chinese authorities violated conventions governing international air travel, including the Chicago and Montreal Conventions, particularly given the woman was a transit passenger with a valid passport.
• Protection of Citizens: The Indian Consulate in Shanghai intervened to secure the release and onward travel of the stranded citizen, affirming India’s commitment to protecting the rights of all its citizens, regardless of their domicile.

China’s ‘Zangnan’ Claim and Implications for Bilateral Ties

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s public statement, while denying harassment, openly reasserted the “Zangnan” claim. This highlights the deepening political rift between the two Asian giants, occurring at a time when both nations are nominally trying to resolve the military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The detention of an Indian citizen based on their birthplace listed on a valid Indian passport is viewed as a significant attempt to enforce the Zangnan claim extraterritorially. It poses serious concerns about the safety and dignity of Indian citizens, particularly those from Arunachal Pradesh, travelling through Chinese transit hubs. The incident underscores the fragility of India China Arunachal Demarche relations and ensures that the long-standing border dispute remains at the forefront of the diplomatic agenda.