Arunachal row: China shows its true colours yet again
The Tribune Editorial: The Thongdok case shows that everything is not hunky-dory; trust deficit persists.
THE harassment of an Indian citizen at the Shanghai airport is an ominous sign. It indicates that India-China relations will continue to face headwinds despite the recent thaw. Prema Wangjom Thongdok, a UK-based woman, was detained by the Chinese immigration authorities during a transit halt and told that her Indian passport was invalid. The pretext was her place of birth, Arunachal Pradesh. Her 18-hour ordeal came to an end when Indian officials came to her rescue. The provocative move was in sync with Beijing’s oft-repeated claim that Arunachal, which it calls Zangnan or South Tibet, is part of its territory. New Delhi has repeatedly asserted that the border state is an integral and inalienable part of India, but that has not deterred China from riling its neighbour.
