Arunachal resident detained at Shanghai airport hits back at trolls, backs India’s stand

Pema Wang Thongdok, an Arunachal Pradesh native who recently alleged harassment by Chinese immigration authorities, has spoken out against online trolls while thanking supporters who rallied behind her after an incident at Shanghai airport.

Her remarks have resonated widely, especially her emphasis that any diplomatic action taken by the Indian government is for the benefit of all citizens, not for her personally.

Thongdok said she was detained for nearly 18 hours during what should have been a brief three-hour layover in Shanghai on November 21, while travelling from London to Japan.

According to her, Chinese officials refused to recognise her Indian passport after noting that her birthplace was listed as Arunachal Pradesh—territory Beijing claims as its own.

In a post shared last night, Thongdok expressed gratitude for the public support she has received and addressed those who attempted to target her online.

“I would like to thank everyone speaking in support of this diplomatic issue,” she wrote on X, adding that she rarely uses the platform due to holding a demanding, high-profile job in financial services. “I don’t have idle time to answer trollers,” she remarked.

She said the “right people” understood her statements, and those who did not were not worth engaging with. Stressing unity, she added, “I don’t even live in India, so any action that the Indian government takes will be for the benefit and pride of my fellow Indians and Arunachalis living there, not mine. We are one nation; we stand for one another.”

What happened in Shanghai

Thongdok described the experience as a “direct insult to India’s sovereignty.” She recounted that immigration officials declared her passport “invalid” solely because she was born in Arunachal Pradesh. Her passport was confiscated, and despite holding a valid Japanese visa, she was barred from boarding her onward flight. She further alleged that both officials and China Eastern Airlines staff mocked her and suggested she should “apply for a Chinese passport.”

During the long detention, she said she was denied food and access to airport facilities. Unable to rebook her journey, she eventually reached out to the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK and was able to continue her travel later that night.

India responds

The Indian government has reiterated its firm position on Arunachal Pradesh following the incident. “Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evident fact,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated. He added that no amount of denial from China would change this reality.

India has lodged a strong protest with Beijing, both through its embassy in China and via diplomatic channels in New Delhi.