'Arunachal Pradesh inalienable part of India': MEA rejects China’s claim after detention of citizen at Shanghai airport

Hours after China repeated its claim that Arunachal Pradesh was a part of China amid a row over the harassment of an Arunachal-born woman by immigration officials during a transit halt at Shanghai airport, India on Tuesday sharply rejected Beijing’s claims, saying, “Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evident fact.”

The comments came after a controversial statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry once again challenged India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh.

“We have seen statements made by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the arbitrary detention of an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, who was holding a valid passport and was transiting through Shanghai International Airport on her onward travel to Japan,” said MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

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We never recognised Arunachal Pradesh, says China after detaining Indian woman for 18 hours 'Called my Indian passport invalid' Arunachal woman alleges harassment at Chinese airport

“Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evident fact. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality,” he added.

Jaiswal said the issue of the detention has been taken up strongly with the Chinese side.

“Chinese authorities have still not been able to explain their actions, which are in violation of several conventions governing international air travel. The actions by the Chinese authorities also violate their own regulations that allow visa free transit up to 24 hours for nationals of all countries,” he said.

Detention over a birthplace

The passenger, Prema Wang Thongdok, who hails from Rupa in West Kameng district and currently resides in the UK, was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 with a scheduled three-hour layover in Shanghai. What should have been a routine transit turned into a harrowing ordeal.

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We never recognised Arunachal Pradesh, says China after detaining Indian woman for 18 hours

Thongdok later took to X to describe the experience: “I was held at Shanghai airport for over 18 hrs on 21st Nov, 2025… They called my Indian passport invalid as my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh which they claimed is Chinese territory.”

Despite carrying all valid travel documents, she was reportedly denied free passage, given conflicting instructions, and only released after prolonged questioning, during which she said her documents were repeatedly challenged and invalidated on political grounds.

China denies harassment, repeats territorial claim

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the passenger “was not subjected to any compulsory measures, detainment or harassment.”

Mao added that airport officials acted “according to laws and regulations,” and claimed the airline had provided the passenger “food, water, and a place to rest.”

However, Mao’s comments escalated tensions by reiterating Beijing’s territorial claim:

“Zangnan is China’s territory. China never acknowledged the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India,” she said.

The statement drew immediate criticism from India, which accused Beijing of distorting established facts and politicising a routine travel procedure.

India’s diplomatic pushback

According to NDTV, citing government, India issued a strong demarche in both capitals on the day of the incident. The Indian Consulate in Shanghai also intervened to assist the stranded passenger.

Officials described the detention as based on “ludicrous grounds” and said it undermined efforts by both nations to stabilise bilateral ties.

“At a time when both sides are working on restoring normalcy, such actions by the Chinese side introduce unnecessary obstructions to the process,” NDTV quoted sources as saying.

With inputs from agencies