The People’s Liberation Army or PLA of China moved tens of thousands of tons of military vehicles and hardware into the remote mountainous Tibet region after the argument with the Indian troops in Dokalam in the Sikkim sector.
The hardware was moved altogether by road and rail by the Western theater command that handles border issues with India. The huge haul was transported to a region south of the Kunlun Mountains in northern Tibet by the western theater command. This move took place in the last month.
This location where the vast haul was being transported was not far from the disputed Doklam area. This area is located at the narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China, and Bhutan. It is the area where the Chinese and the Indian troops are locked in a difference according to the reports of the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post. Beijing wants India to withdraw its troops from Doklam before the two sides can open talks. This is the first time that China has clearly articulated that there is no room for negotiations and India must withdraw its border crossing troops from Doklam.
Earlier this week the state-run CCTV had broadcast a video of the People’s Liberation Army troops taking part in heavy military exercises. They were also using live ammunition on the Tibetan plateau. China recently carried out a live fire drill which is being seen as a message to India.
However, the People’s Liberation Army Daily report did not speak whether the movement of the military equipment was to support the military drills or for any other reason.
Wang Dehua, who is an expert on South Asia studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, believed that the scale of the troop and equipment that was moved to the Kunlun Mountains shows how much easier it is for China to defend its western borders.
But as an old Chinese saying goes- peace is most precious, India and China should not let the differences become disputes.
