(TibetanReview.net, Jul29’24) – As it continues the border standoff across India’s eastern Ladakh, there is no let-up in China’s building of border security villages, referred to as Xiaokang villages, in occupied Tibet, of which 624 had reportedly been built between 2018 and 2022. Fortifying its position along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops have started constructing a new village along the LAC in the Demchok sector, reported deccanchronicle.com Jul 28.
These villages, often accompanied by military and dual-use infrastructure, are an important “gray zone” tool enabling China to assert and defend its claims near disputed areas, as noted by Washington-based Center for Strategic & International Studies in a csis.org featured analysis May 16.
Satellite images shared by open sources show about 100 new buildings located around 10 miles from the (LAC in Ladakh. The village, which could be used to house shepherds, lies in Tibet but is close to the LAC, said the deccanchronicle.com report.
The significance of continued building of new such villages near the Ladakh region LAC arises from the fact that there is ongoing negotiations at the diplomatic and military levels to bring down tensions that flared up in 2020 in Ladakh. The build-up of military assets and troops-standoff there continues to this day.
Depsang and Demchok are two points in Ladakh where the standoff continues between the Indian Army and the PLA. The Chinese have pitched tents at Charding Nonong Nallah in Demchok to prevent access to Indian troops in the area, a post-2020 development, the report said.
China has been refusing to budge despite India’s insistence that the pre-2020 border situation be restored.
The Xiaokang villages enable China to strengthen border security as they serve military purposes as well, including in terms of border surveillance and patrols through a network of herders in times of peace.
To counter China’s move, India too has started a ‘Vibrant Village Programme’ to prevent migration from villages along the LAC. A total of 136 villages are being provided connectivity through 113 all-weather road projects at a cost of Rs 2,420 crores under this project. The report said.