Beijing has denied "detaining or harassing" a resident of the disputed India-China border region in Shanghai while reiterating its claim that the region India calls Arunachal Pradesh, which China calls Zangnan, is a Chinese territory.
"Zangnan is China's territory. The Chinese side has never recognised the so-called 'Arunachal Pradesh' illegally set up by India," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday.
Beijing's comments came after Pema Wang Thongdok said she was held by Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai airport for 18 hours on November 21 because her passport was considered "invalid" due to her birthplace being listed as Arunachal Pradesh.
New Delhi has lodged a protest with Beijing over the incident, saying the region is "indisputably an Indian territory" and its residents are entitled to hold and travel on Indian passports, the Press Trust of India reported Monday, citing government sources.
Responding to the issue, Mao said, "China’s border inspection authorities carried out check procedures in accordance with laws and regulations; the law enforcement was impartial and non-abusive, the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected, no compulsory measures were taken on her, and there was no so-called 'detaining' or 'harassing'."
"Having border checks on people entering and exiting a country and carrying out law enforcement according to the specific situation of the entry or exit is the usual practice of border enforcement authorities of countries across the world," she added.
In response, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that "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."
In 2023, Beijing issued stapled visas to Indian athletes from the disputed region at the World University Games, seemingly to avoid recognising their region as part of India.
A stapled visa is a type of visa that is attached to paper rather than being stamped into a passport.
Several times, China has also issued stapled visas to residents of India-administered Kashmir for a similar reason, not recognising India’s sovereignty over the territory claimed by Pakistan.
