New Delhi [India], November 26 : Foreign Affairs experts reacted to the "arbitrary detention" of an Indian national, Prema Wangjom Thongdok, at Shanghai International Airport, calling it unusual and unfortunate at a time when India-China ties are coming back on track.
Foreign Affairs Expert Mahesh Sachdev called the incident unusual and regrettable.
"I think it's a very unusual and quite regrettable infraction of the personal liberty of a transit passenger at Shanghai Airport."
Speaking on the issue, Foreign Affairs Expert Waiel Awwad called it an unfortunate incident at a time when India-China ties are coming on track.
Awwad told ANI, "This is the most unfortunate incident that's happened at the Shanghai airport, especially for a passenger who's already going as a transit passenger...You cannot stop a passenger from going from one country to another country".
He added, "I think the government of Beijing is required to do damage control measures to bring back the normal relation between India and China, especially at a time when India has shown keen interest in making this relation work and bringing it back on the right track."
He further noted, "I think the Indian reaction was very strong. It's matching the Chinese reaction... There should not be such an incident to break this kind of relationship. India and China, as many Indian leaders have said, are the two giants of Asia, and the Asian century cannot prosper without them being together. Therefore, they can live together, and the world is big enough to accommodate both of them."
India on Tuesday strongly rejected China's remarks regarding the status of Arunachal Pradesh and expressed grave concern over what it described as the "arbitrary detention" of an Indian national, Prema Wangjom Thongdok, at Shanghai International Airport.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the matter has been taken up with Chinese authorities at a high level, while reiterating that Arunachal Pradesh remains an "integral and inalienable" part of India.
Responding to media queries, MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had "seen statements made by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the arbitrary detention of an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, who was holding a valid passport and was transiting through Shanghai International Airport on her onward travel to Japan."
The spokesperson reiterated India's consistent position on Arunachal Pradesh, saying, "Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evident fact. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality."
The traveller, an Indian passport holder from Arunachal Pradesh, was reportedly detained in transit despite being eligible for visa-free passage, a facility offered to nationals of all countries for up to 24 hours under Chinese regulations. India said the incident not only lacked justification but also breached norms governing international movement.
"The issue of detention has been taken up strongly with the Chinese side. Chinese authorities have still not been able to explain their actions, which are in violation of several conventions governing international air travel," Jaiswal said, adding that the "actions by the Chinese authorities also violate their own regulations that allow visa-free transit up."
Meanwhile, China on Tuesday rejected allegations of harassment levelled by Indian national Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, and stated that "the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected and no compulsory measures were taken on her".
Wangjom Thongdok had narrated her "long ordeal" and stated that she faced harassment from Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport, who "mocked and raised questions" over her Indian citizenship and noted that her 18-hour ordeal came to an end with the help of officials from India's missions in Shanghai and Beijing.
India issued a strong demarche to the Chinese side, both at the Embassy in New Delhi and the Foreign Ministry in Beijing, over the incident.
Responding to queries on the incident during a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning again repeated Beijing's stance, which has always been categorically rejected by India. She also said there was no so-called "detaining" or "harassing" by the Chinese authorities.