India has issued a strong demarche (a formal diplomatic protest) to the Chinese side, in Beijing and in Delhi.
India took strong exception to China over the “arbitrary detention” of Thongdok, while firmly reiterating that the state is an “integral and inalienable” part of the country.
Responding to media queries on recent remarks by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the woman, who held a valid Indian passport, was detained while transiting through Shanghai International Airport en route to Japan.
Jaiswal said the matter had been taken up “strongly” with Chinese authorities, who have yet to "explain" their actions. He said that the detention violated international air travel conventions as well as China’s own rules permitting 24-hour visa-free transit for all nationalities.
Reasserting India’s position, the MEA spokesperson said: "No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India."
Earlier, China denied allegations that an Indian woman was harassed by Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Airport.
Pem Wang Thongdok, a UK-based Indian citizen, had alleged that she was stopped during a three-hour layover at Shanghai airport because officials allegedly refused to recognise her Indian passport, claiming that Arunachal Pradesh 'is part of China.'
China justified the actions taken by the immigration officials, stating that they had acted according to laws and regulations.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Pem Wang Thongdok had been provided a place and rest, along with food and drink, and was not subjected to any compulsory measures or detainment, contrary to her allegations.
"We have learnt that China's border inspection authorities have gone through the whole process according to the laws and regulations and fully protected the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned," Mao said.
Pem Wang Thongdok was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 and had a three-hour transit stop at Shanghai Airport.
Her passport was declared 'invalid' solely because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.
Mao Ning, reiterating China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh, said, "Zangnan is China's territory. China never acknowledged the so-called Arunachal Pradesh, illegally set up by India."
Thongdok, managed to get in touch with the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK -- where she lives -- and was escorted to a late-night flight by the officials.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thongdok called the incident a "direct insult to India's sovereignty and to the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh." She also sought action against the immigration officials and assurance from the Indian government that similar incidents would not happen in the future for citizens from Arunachal Pradesh.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu also reacted to the incident saying, he was "deeply shocked" by the incident and called it a "violation of international norms and an affront to the dignity of Indian citizens.
“I am deeply shocked by the unacceptable treatment of Ms. Prema Wangjom Thongdok, a proud Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, by Chinese immigration authorities at Shanghai Pudong Airport,” the chief minister said.
He termed the incident, in which the woman was subjected to humiliation and racial mockery despite she had a valid Indian passport, as appalling.
“Arunachal Pradesh is, and will always be an integral part of India. Any insinuation otherwise is baseless and offensive,” Khandu reiterated.
“Such conduct violates international norms and is an affront to the dignity of our citizens,” he further stated.
He was confident that India’s Ministry of External Affairs would take up the matter urgently to ensure that such incidents were not repeated.
(With inputs from Express News Service)