Arunachal woman detained by China for 18 hours in Shanghai over Indian passport
Chinese officials claimed that Arunachal Pradesh is part of China, so her passport was invalid.
The incident highlights China’s continued territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh
An Arunachal Pradesh woman based in the United Kingdom (UK) was detained at the Shanghai airport on November 21, 2025. She was travelling from London to Japan and had a three-hour layover in Shanghai. She was unaware that this brief stop would turn into a distressing ordeal. The woman, identified as Pema Wangjom Thongdok, alleged that she was harassed by Chinese authorities, who refused to recognise her Indian passport. They claimed that her birthplace — Arunachal Pradesh — was “part of China.”
Thongdok is originally from Rupa in West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh. She is currently residing in London but was stopped at the security checkpoint when officials noticed her birthplace on the passport. In a post on X after the incident, she explained that the authorities insisted Arunachal Pradesh belonged to China and therefore her Indian passport was “invalid.” She said that both the Chinese immigration officers and representatives of China Eastern Airlines told her to “get a Chinese passport.” They confiscated her documents and blocked her from boarding her next flight despite a valid Japanese visa.
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In a series of posts on X, Thongdok said she was detained for more than 18 hours. “I was held at Shanghai airport for over 18 hrs on 21st Nov, 2025 on claims by China immigration & @chinaeasternair. They called my Indian passport invalid.” She said they insisted Arunachal Pradesh is in China, so her Indian passport was not valid. She also said she had no access to food or airport facilities, and even struggled to get information as Google services are blocked in China.
In a conversation with The Indian Express, Thongdok said she demanded access to a phone and contacted friends in the UK, who helped her reach the Indian Consulate in Shanghai. She said that within an hour, six Indian consular officials arrived at the airport with food. She said they attempted to resolve the situation, but Chinese authorities refused to allow her to travel to Japan.
In an email to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), she described the incident as a “direct challenge to India’s sovereignty,” adding that a geopolitical dispute had been “misdirected at a private Indian citizen.” She urged the government to take up the matter strongly with China and sought compensation for harassment, emotional distress, financial loss, and suffering.
She also alleged that Chinese authorities insisted she rebook her travel only through China Eastern Airlines. She eventually managed to leave China on a flight routed through Thailand, where she is currently staying and working remotely.
The incident reflects China’s long-standing and baseless territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh. Since the 1980s, China has asserted that the state is part of “South Tibet” and claims around 90,000 sq km of Indian territory, referring to the region as “Zangnan.” Beijing also frequently renames locations in Arunachal to push its claims.
In May 2025, reacting to China’s renaming of Indian regions, the MEA stated “We reject such preposterous attempts categorically. Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
India–China relations involve a mix of cooperation and challenges, shaped by growing economic ties and ongoing border issues. Both countries continue to engage through trade, dialogue mechanisms, and multilateral platforms to manage their differences and maintain diplomatic communication. [Rh]
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