A woman from Arunachal Pradesh who lives in the UK says Chinese immigration detained her for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai airport. She says the officers refused to accept her Indian passport during a transit stop. The incident has raised new concerns about China’s repeated attempts to question India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh.
China Declares Passport Invalid
Pema Wangjom Thongdok was travelling from London to Japan on November 21. She had a short three-hour layover in Shanghai. However, the stop turned into a long and stressful ordeal. Chinese immigration officers declared her passport “invalid.” She says they refused to accept it because her birthplace is listed as Arunachal Pradesh.
India Strongly Protests
India lodged a strong diplomatic protest after learning about the incident. Officials say New Delhi told Beijing clearly that Arunachal Pradesh is “indisputably” part of India. They also said its residents have full rights to hold and travel with Indian passports.
Pema’s family belongs to Rupa in West Kameng district. She says the officers kept telling her that Arunachal Pradesh was “part of China.” She claims they demanded she acknowledge their claim before they processed her documents.
Pema Describes the Ordeal
Pema wrote a detailed post on X about her experience. She said, “I was held at Shanghai airport for over 18 hours on 21st November 2025 by China immigration and China Eastern Airlines. They called my Indian passport invalid because my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh, which they claimed is Chinese territory.”
Pema says she was confined to the transit area with almost no explanation. She had limited food and few basic facilities. She says the officers took her passport and blocked her from boarding her onward flight to Japan, even though she had a valid visa.
India Issues a Demarche
Sources say India issued a formal demarche in both Beijing and Delhi. The Indian consulate in Shanghai assisted her throughout. Officials say her detention had no valid reason. They argue that China’s actions violated international civil aviation rules under the Chicago and Montreal Conventions. They also say such actions slow down efforts to normalise ties.
Family Reacts
Pema’s mother, Sang Chhom Thongdok, told PTI that her daughter faced a “harrowing ordeal.” She says Pema is “very smart and strong” and did not bow to pressure. Pema first contacted a friend of her late father in Delhi. He helped her reach Indian officials in China. With their support, she eventually left China and is now in Bangkok.
Her mother says Pema has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
Pema’s Background
Pema spent her childhood in Delhi. She completed her B.Com from a Delhi University college. She moved to the UK for higher studies and has lived there for nearly a decade. Pema works in a financial firm and travels often. Her mother says Pema never faced travel issues before this.
After her father died of Covid-19 in 2021, her mother now divides her time between Delhi and their hometown.
China’s Claims and Past Tensions
The incident comes during renewed tensions. China continues to claim Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet.” India rejects this claim and says Arunachal is an integral and inalienable part of the country.
China has renamed villages, issued maps showing Indian land as Chinese, and objected to visits by Indian officials. China also gives stapled visas to Arunachal residents, which India opposes. Many students, athletes, and officials from the state have been denied entry because they refused those visas.
Fresh Concerns Over China’s Actions
Officials in Itanagar say Pema’s experience is worrying. They fear China may now apply its stapled-visa logic even at international transit points. Her detention shows that travellers from Arunachal Pradesh may face trouble even while simply passing through Chinese airports.
The incident has again raised tensions. India has strongly criticised China for challenging its sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh.