Beginning in May 2020, Chinese and Indian forces clashed in multiple locations along the LAC with rocks, batons, and clubs wrapped in barbed wire.
The ensuing standoff prompted the mobilization of forces on both sides of the border.
According to a Pentagon report to Congress, China has warned American officials not to interfere in its relationship with India.
Throughout the standoff with India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Chinese officials sought to downplay the severity of the crisis, emphasizing Beijing’s intent to maintain border stability and prevent the standoff from affecting other aspects of its bilateral relationship with India, according to a Pentagon report released on Tuesday.
“The PRC (People’s Republic of China) wants to avoid border tensions forcing India to work more closely with the US.” “PRC officials have warned US officials not to interfere with the PRC’s relationship with India,” according to the Pentagon’s latest report to Congress on Chinese military buildup.
The Pentagon stated in a section on the China-India border that the PLA would continue to deploy forces and build infrastructure along the LAC throughout 2021. Negotiations have made little progress because both sides are unwilling to give up perceived advantages on the border, according to the report.Â
Beginning in May 2020, Chinese and Indian forces clashed in multiple locations along the LAC with rocks, batons, and clubs wrapped in barbed wire. The ensuing standoff prompted the mobilization of forces on both sides of the border.
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“Each country demanded the withdrawal of the other’s forces and a return to pre-standoff conditions,” the report said. “Neither China nor India agreed on those conditions.” The PRC blamed the standoff on Indian infrastructure development, which it saw as encroaching on PRC territory, while India accused China of “launching aggressive incursions into India’s territory.”
Since the 2020 clash, the PLA has maintained a constant force presence and has continued to build infrastructure along the LAC. According to the report, the 2020 Galwan Valley incident was the deadliest clash between the two countries in the previous 46 years. According to PRC officials, patrols violently clashed in Galwan Valley on June 15th, 2020, killing approximately twenty Indian soldiers and four PLA soldiers.
