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Up to 10 thousand. Chinese troops stationed in Ladakh, near where India, China and Pakistan “are” located, crossed the Line of Control in early May and entered Indian-controlled territory.
In recent weeks, there have been two clashes between the Chinese and Indian forces: on May 5 in Ladache and on May 9 for approximately 1.6 thousand. kilometers near the eastern border of India with China and Bhutan.
Both sides appear to be in an informal agreement not to use weapons in such clashes, to avoid escalation. However, several wounded soldiers on both sides, including senior officials, have been reported and no one has been killed, Time reports.
Scanpix / AP Photo / Ladach
Tensions escalated on Tuesday when Indian media released satellite photos of possible fighter jets on the runway as China expands its military airbase near the border.
On the same day, Chinese President Xi Jiping announced that the country was intensifying preparations for a military conflict. It is true that it is not clear whether he was referring to India or the riots in Hong Kong. For his part, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the situation with defense officials.
AFP / Scanpix Photo / Calendar mode
Because right now?
Tensions between China and India over the region have been going on for a long time. The borders of India and China drawn in the 1950s reflect the borders established by the British colonizers.
In 1962, a war broke out in the territory between Ladakh and Aksai Chin. The area is currently controlled by China, although India has also claimed claims, losing around 1.3,000 during the conflict. soldiers
To prevent escalation on both sides, no Indian soldier has been killed since 1975. However, there is a constant tension between the two nuclear powers, Time writes.
The last largest confrontation occurred in 2017 when Indian forces entered Bhutan. The goal was to halt highway construction work in China, with India believing that a highway in these areas would change its strategic balance.
According to South Asian researcher Ayushman Bone of the Atlantic Council, the latest invasion may be China’s response to a bridge under construction near India. It could be a response to India’s actions in 2017 in Bhutan.
Scanpix photo / Indian soldiers
“It just came to our notice then status quo. It all comes from a shock in 2017 when India used the same argument to say that Chinese construction has changed. status quo region. It’s like saying, well, if you do, we’ll do it, “time quotes Kaul.
The researcher ensures that whatever the reason for the invasion, it is one of the most important in the long term. “China not only crossed the line, but also deployed military equipment and tents. This is a change from the previous behavior we saw on the border,” said A. Kaulas.
According to historian Kerry Brown, this clash is not just a matter of territory, but much deeper strategic disagreements between the two countries.
“It is part of a huge unresolved tension between a very persistent China, which believes that its Asian century has arrived, and India, which also feels it has a very important role to play,” Brown told Time.
Whats Next?
India’s defense analyst told Ajai Shukla, Al Jazeera, concerned that any further escalation would mean a “large-scale battle”.
“Thousands of Chinese troops are on Indian soil. The only thing left for them is to get involved in the fight,” he said.
“It just came to our notice then [tilto] under the guise of construction to put pressure on India for entirely different political and economic reasons, and we don’t know that. We don’t know China’s goals in this particular case, “Shukla said.
Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University in London, predicted that the escalation would be controlled.
“I don’t think any government wants to get involved in one military conflict with another. However, no government wants to be seen as withdrawing,” Tsang told Time.
Adam Ni, director of the China Policy Center in Australia, told Al Jazeera, a portal he said, that both sides are interested in peace because they have internal challenges.
Beijing already has many problems, including protests in Hong Kong, an economic recession, and difficult relations with the United States. “Therefore, you don’t need another confrontation right now,” said Adam Ni.
However, experts point out that both countries are currently led by authoritarian nationalists, making the situation less predictable than usual.
Reuters / Scanpix photo / Chinese leader Xi Jinping
“The Indians are particularly sensitive to the Chinese border, and the Chinese do not take the Indians seriously enough to show due respect. Therefore, the atmosphere on both sides is very bad, “Tsang told Time.
According to Brown, there is no reason for the soldiers to retreat in front of the opponents.
“The people leading the forces will not be rewarded for retreating. The slightest violation means that they will have to do the maximum, because if they do not, they will be considered traitors. There is no place for nuance, “he told Time.
On Wednesday, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that he was “ready, determined and capable” to mediate the conflict between the two Asian neighbors.
The Confederation of American Scientists estimates that in 2015 China had 260 nuclear warheads. India has 130-140 nuclear warheads.
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