'Arbitrary actions unhelpful to rebuild ties': India on Arunachal woman's detention in China
Pema Wang Thongdok alleged that Chinese immigration officials at the Shanghai airport detained her for 18 hours on November 21 during a transit halt after refusing to recognise her Indian passport as her birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh.
India on Wednesday said that China's "arbitrary actions," such as the recent incident involving a woman traveller from Arunachal Pradesh at Shanghai airport, could undermine efforts to build mutual trust and understanding between the two countries.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stressed that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the border are essential for the continued and overall development of India-China relations.
Arunachal Pradesh "integral and inalienable" part of India
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, referring to the "arbitrary detention" of Indian national Pema Wang Thongdok, reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an "integral and inalienable" part of India and that no amount of Chinese denial can alter this "indisputable reality."
Thongdok, alleged that Chinese immigration officials at the Shanghai airport detained her for 18 hours on November 21 during a transit halt after refusing to recognise her Indian passport as her birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh.
The Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday rejected the allegations saying the actions were in accordance with the regulations. It also reiterated China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh.
In a statement, the MEA on Tuesday rejected the Chinese response. "Arbitrary actions by China, as the one that I referred to involving an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, are most unhelpful towards efforts being made by both sides to build mutual trust and understanding, and gradually move towards normalisation of bilateral relations," Jaiswal added.
"We want to say that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a fact which is self-evident. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality," Jaiswal said.
He also asserted that "maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border regions is a prerequisite for the continued and overall development of India-China bilateral relations." "Our position in this regard has always been very clear and consistent," he said.
"Both sides have worked closely to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border regions. And it is on this basis that progress, especially in particular with a focus on people-centric engagements, has been made," Jaiswal said.
India-China ties
India-China relations had been severely strained since the border standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020. However, in recent months, both sides have taken a series of steps aimed at normalising ties after disengaging from the last remaining face-off point in October last year.
New Delhi and Beijing have agreed on several people-centric measures to stabilise and rebuild confidence in the relationship. These include the decision to resume the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, restart direct flights, commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, and ease visa procedures.
Direct flights between the two countries resumed in October.
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