NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Monday issued a strong-worded message asked China to issue assurance to India after the recent harassment of an Arunachal Pradesh woman at Shanghai airport. The statement follows growing concerns over arbitrary checks and mistreatment of Indian passengers in transit, after reports emerged of an Arunachal Pradesh woman being harassed at Shanghai airport. Responding to the matter, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We expect the Chinese authorities to provide assurances that Indian citizens transiting through Chinese airports will not be selectively targeted, arbitrarily detained or harassed and that regulations governing international air travel would be respected by the Chinese side.”
The MEA also issued an advisory urging Indian nationals to be cautious. “MEA would advise Indian nationals to exercise due discretion while travelling to China or transiting through the country,” Jaiswal stated. Ministry of external affairs last month after the incident strongly protested China’s “arbitrary detention” of an Indian passport holder from Arunachal Pradesh at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, stating that no amount of political denial will alter the fact that the northeastern state is an “integral and inalienable” part of India. The ministry of external affairs said it issued a strong demarche to Beijing and its embassy in New Delhi after the woman, identified as Prema Wangjom Thongdok, was detained during transit despite being eligible for visa-free passage under Chinese regulations.“We want to say that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a fact that is self-evident. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly briefing.According to the MEA, the Indian national, holding a valid passport, was travelling onward to Japan when she was stopped at Shanghai airport. India said the detention lacked legal basis and breached norms of international travel.“This issue 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,” Jaiswal said. He added that China’s actions contradicted its own policy for visa-free transit.The MEA warned that such incidents undermine diplomatic engagement between the two countries. “Arbitrary actions by China involving an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh are most unhelpful towards efforts being made by both sides to build mutual trust and understanding and gradually move towards normalisation of bilateral relations,” Jaiswal noted.However, China has rejected India’s accusations. Responding to Beijing-based media, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that “the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected and no compulsory measures were taken on her,” dismissing claims of detention or harassment.This response came despite the Indian citizen narrating her “long ordeal”, alleging that Chinese immigration officials “mocked and raised questions” about her Indian identity, with the situation resolved only after intervention by Indian missions in Shanghai and Beijing.