'Arunachal Part Of China': Indian Woman Held Back At Shanghai Airport, Passport Declared 'Invalid'

Last Updated:November 24, 2025, 13:42 IST

An Indian woman alleged she was detained at Shanghai airport after Chinese authorities declared her Indian passport “invalid” because she was born in Arunachal Pradesh.

Indian woman alleges harassment at Shanghai airport (Image: X/@wang_pem)

An Indian woman has alleged that she was detained for more than 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong Airport after Chinese authorities refused to recognise her Indian passport.

In a series of posts on X, the woman, who identified herself as Pem Wang Thongdok, and lives in the United Kingdom, alleged that the Chinese authorities claimed her passport was “invalid" because she was born in Arunachal Pradesh.

Thongdok recounted the incident that took place on November 21, 2025, while she was reportedly travelling from London to Japan.

“I was held at Shanghai airport for over 18 hrs on 21st Nov, 2025 on claims by China immigration & China Eastern Airline." (sic), she wrote.

“They called my Indian passport invalid as my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh which they claimed is Chinese territory," she added.

She followed it with another post stressing that her identity as an Indian citizen had been questioned solely because of her birthplace.

“Indian citizen held at Shanghai airport on claims that my Indian passport is invalid because I was born in Arunachal Pradesh India," (sic), she wrote.

Thongdok tagged Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, and several news channels and media outlets while seeking attention to the incident.

In a third post, she escalated the matter directly to the Prime Minister’s Office, asking, “Honorable Sirs, Is Arunachal Pradesh part of China?" (sic).

Later, a report with India Today quoted the woman as saying that her passport was collected post the immigration process, and that the incident happened while she was waiting at the security.

“After immigration, I submitted my passport and was waiting at security. Just then, an official came and started screaming, ‘India, India,’ with my name and singled me out," she was quoted as saying.

“When I asked, she took me to the immigration desk and said, ‘Arunachal, not a valid passport’," the report claimed she said.

“Arunachal is a part of China. Your passport is invalid," the woman quoted the airport authorities as saying, as per the report.

The report also claimed that Thongdok alleged that she was prevented from boarding her onward flight to Japan and was confined to the transit area.

She further claimed that officials pressured her to purchase a new ticket exclusively on China Eastern and implied her passport would be returned only after doing so.

Thongdok reached out to the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through one of her friends in the UK. Indian officials later escorted her to a late-night departure from the Chinese city.

Her claims come amid long-standing tensions between India and China over the status of Arunachal Pradesh, which is an “integral and inalienable" part of India.

However, China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet" and claims it as its own territory.

The issue has repeatedly surfaced in the form of stapled visas issued to residents of the state, objections to Indian leaders visiting the region, and diplomatic protests.

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