An Arunachal Pradesh woman who faced harassment by Chinese authorities at Shanghai airport has broken her silence, calling for unity and rejecting online trolling after her ordeal gained widespread attention. Pema Wang Thongdok, travelling from London to Japan on November 21, said she was detained for 18 hours during what was supposed to be a short layover. According to her account, Chinese immigration officials refused to recognise her Indian passport, claiming that Arunachal Pradesh—her place of birth—was “part of China.” The officials allegedly declared her passport invalid, mocked her nationality, and even suggested she apply for a Chinese passport.

Thongdok said her passport was confiscated, she was denied food and basic facilities, and stopped from boarding her connecting flight despite having a valid Japanese visa. Stranded and unable to rebook her flight, she eventually contacted the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK. With their help, she was able to continue her journey later that night.

In a post shared online, she thanked those who stood by her but also addressed those attempting to troll her. She clarified that she rarely uses social media due to her demanding job in financial services and has no time to respond to negativity. “The people who understood my message need no explanation, and those who didn’t aren’t worth responding to,” she wrote.

She stressed that any action taken by the Indian government in this matter is for the dignity and welfare of Indians and the people of Arunachal Pradesh, not for her personally. “I don’t live in India anymore. Whatever steps the government takes are for all Indians. We are one nation and stand together,” she added.

The Indian government strongly condemned the incident. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an “integral and inalienable part of India” and confirmed that India has lodged a firm protest with China in both Beijing and New Delhi. Thongdok described the entire episode as a “direct insult to India’s sovereignty,” highlighting once again the longstanding tensions over China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh. Her message to critics and supporters alike was clear—stand united, especially when the nation’s dignity is challenged.