New Delhi: China has once again triggered controversy by denying allegations of mistreating an Indian woman at Shanghai Airport while simultaneously claiming that Arunachal Pradesh is not part of India. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning rejected the harassment claims and repeated Beijing’s long-standing position, calling the Indian state “Zangnan.”
The issue erupted after Pema Wang Thongdok, a woman from Arunachal Pradesh, said she was stopped by Chinese immigration authorities during a three-hour transit halt in Shanghai on 21 November. She alleged officials declared her Indian passport “invalid,” arguing that Arunachal Pradesh belongs to China, not India. Thongdok said she was kept for nearly 18 hours and questioned repeatedly while travelling from London to Japan.
Addressing the matter, Mao Ning claimed the Chinese border inspection authorities acted “strictly according to laws and regulations,” denying any mistreatment, detention, or discrimination. She added that the woman’s “legal rights were fully protected,” and that the airline provided her food and a place to rest.
On the territorial dispute, Mao reiterated, “Zangnan is China’s territory. China has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally established by India.”
India has repeatedly rejected China’s territorial claims, maintaining that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country.
