India-China Clash Over Arunachal: Truth Revealed About The Shanghai Airport Incident

A distressing incident at Shanghai Pudong International Airport has once again thrust Arunachal Pradesh into the centre of the long-running India–China boundary dispute. On 21 November, UK-based Indian citizen Pema Wangjom Thongdok was travelling from London to Japan when Chinese immigration officials allegedly refused to accept her Indian passport—calling it “invalid” because her birthplace was listed as Arunachal Pradesh. India reacted strongly. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed that Arunachal Pradesh is an “integral and inalienable part of India” and confirmed that New Delhi has lodged a formal diplomatic protest with Beijing. China, meanwhile, defended the airport officials, stating they acted according to Chinese domestic laws. This episode revived attention on the broader and historical Arunachal dispute. China claims the region as “South Tibet,” citing historical ties through Tibet and the significance of Tawang, home to a major Tibetan Buddhist monastery and the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama. At the heart of the territorial disagreement lies the McMahon Line, drawn in 1914—accepted by India but rejected by China. Beijing has repeatedly released lists renaming places in Arunachal, while India dismisses these actions as baseless. With its strategic Himalayan terrain, Arunachal remains vital to India’s defence posture—ensuring the dispute remains a major geopolitical flashpoint.