New Delhi: India on Monday advised its nationals to exercise due discretion while travelling to or transiting through China.
New Delhi’s move came over two weeks after an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh was detained at Shanghai airport after the authorities refused to recognise her Indian passport as valid during a transit halt.
“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,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
Chinese immigration officials allegedly declared her Indian passport “invalid” because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth, claiming the region was Chinese territory.
Thongdok, who was confined to the transit area for nearly 18 hours without adequate food or facilities, was eventually allowed to continue her journey after contacting the Indian Embassy.
Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, condemned the treatment of Thongdok as “unacceptable” and “appalling,” calling it “humiliation and racial mockery.” He added that “Arunachal Pradesh is, and will always be, an integral part of India,” saying any attempt to suggest otherwise is baseless and offensive.
