China says “India-border situation stable”, but seen building up in Tibet with expansionist design.
The Chinese Ambassador in New Delhi, Wang Xiaojian, restated his government’s stance on June 6, emphasizing that the situation along the China-occupied Tibet border with India remained stable and did not permit interference from any third party, specifically referring to the United States. However, a report from a UK-based think tank raised significant concerns about China’s intentions due to the substantial increase in military infrastructure on the China-occupied Tibet side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
In response to remarks made by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during his visit to India the day before, where he highlighted instances of “bullying and coercion” by Beijing, Wang asserted that the current border situation between China and India was stable and that the boundary issue was solely between the two countries without room for third-party interference.
“Preserving and protecting the freedoms that are essential to peace and prosperity will require vigorous leadership from the United States and India. And we still have a lot of work to do, but I am confident that the US-India partnership will help to secure an open and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific and the wider world,” Austin stated during a media briefing, as quoted by indianexpress.com on June 7.
Meanwhile, Chatham House’s report revealed that China had constructed an extensive network of installations and established a supportive ecosystem to facilitate troop deployments in the disputed Aksai Chin region on the China-occupied Tibet side of the Sino-India border in Ladakh. The report, based on satellite imagery analysis spanning six months from October 2022, substantiated previous evidence of substantial infrastructure development in Aksai Chin since the military standoff with India commenced in May 2020, according to hindustantimes.com on June 6.
The satellite images unveiled expanded roads, outposts, and modern weatherproof camps equipped with parking areas, solar panels, and even helipads. A new heliport, located in disputed territory near Aksai Chin Lake, was under construction. This facility, consisting of 18 hangars and short runways, would significantly enhance the operational capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in and around Aksai Chin, as mentioned in the report by Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
The findings of this UK-based think tank aligned with previous reports about China’s infrastructure upgrades near the border, as noted by Wionews.com on June 6. Additionally, Planet Labs, a US imaging company, recently shared images illustrating China’s expansion of airfields along the LAC since 2020.
The Chatham House report further highlighted the presence of several PLA bases connected by roads, leading from the primary standoff site across the Indian border in Ladakh. Beyond Aksai Chin, the think tank identified significant Chinese military activities in the Depsang plains, one of the remaining friction points near the LAC in Ladakh.
Notably, the Chinese outposts visible in Raki Nala, a river valley south of the Depsang plains, could potentially impede Indian patrols in the region. At Pangong Lake in Ladakh, the PLA concluded the construction of a bridge, enabling rapid deployment of Chinese forces from the PLA’s Rutog military garrison to mountain ridges overlooking the water body. The proposed Chinese G695 highway, intended to link Xinjiang with Tibet, is scheduled for completion in 2035. This new highway will traverse Aksai Chin, passing through the Depsang Plains, south of the Galwan Valley, and towards Pangong Tso, as outlined in the report.
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