China continues to develop military infrastructure along LAC: Pentagon
China continues to maintain a considerable military presence along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India, The Times of India reported, citing the Pentagon's yearly assessment of Chinese military capability. The report titled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" says China is aggressively creating border infrastructure such as subterranean storage facilities, highways, airfields, and helipads. China has reportedly outperformed prior predictions, with over 500 operational nuclear weapons and will likely have over 1,000 by 2030.
Why does this story matter?
This report comes nearly two months after satellite imagery from space tech company Maxar reportedly revealed that China had initiated major military construction activities in Aksai Chin, a region claimed by India to be its integral part. Before that, China released a new map, depicting Aksai Chin in Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as part of China. Notably, India-China relations have been strained since 2020, when their forces clashed on the LAC in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh.
Chinese army's focus on India-China border tensions: Report
The US Department of Defense report claims that since May 2020, the focus of the People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s Western Theater Command has been primarily on the India-China border tensions, per NDTV. Following the Galwan incident, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, China initiated extensive mobilization and deployment along the LAC, it claimed. Notably, the differing viewpoints regarding border demarcations and recent infrastructure projects on both sides have resulted in multiple conflicts and military buildups.
'Negotiations between India, China make minimal progress'
The Pentagon's assessment reportedly suggests that military-level negotiations between India and China have seen limited progress, as both nations are allegedly "unwilling to relinquish perceived advantages along the border." The report claims Beijing's infrastructure expansion along the LAC includes underground storage facilities near Doklam and new roads across all three LAC sectors. Other infrastructures reportedly include new villages in disputed areas bordering Bhutan, a second bridge over Pangong Lake, a dual-purpose airport close to the central sector, and several helipads.
Chinese military deployments along LAC in 2022
In 2022, China stationed one border regiment, backed by two divisions from the Xinjiang and Tibet Military Districts, with four combined arms brigades (CAB) in reserve in the LAC's western sector, according to the report. Additionally, China deployed up to three light-to-medium CABs in the eastern sector from other theater commands and three more CABs in the central sector. While some elements of a light CAB eventually withdrew, the majority of the deployed forces continued to remain stationed.
Long-standing border conflict between India, China
China occupied the Aksai Chin area of J&K and abandoned Arunachal Pradesh, which it regards to be part of the Tibet region, during the 1962 war with India. The two countries do not have an official international border but rather an LAC with conflicting conceptions of a 3,400-kilometer de facto border. Furthermore, the 2020 fight in Ladakh's Galwan Valley severely strained India-China relations. Recent military and diplomatic talks have also apparently failed to provide a breakthrough in resolving the situation.
