In India, the discovery of a Chinese village rekindles tensions between the two countries. On the heights of the Himalayas, in the isolated state of Arunachal Pradesh, the photos of this village shake India, because it has suddenly emerged from the earth. On the satellite images published in the press, we see an empty area in 2019 and from 2020, houses lined up along a road. According to the government, this village is located a few kilometers from the border of Arunachal Pradesh with China, but on the Indian side. The Indian press reports that residents of this state organized a march and burned effigies of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Normal Construction On Own Territory,” Says China On Arunachal Village https://t.co/py7gHBR7BH pic.twitter.com/ibDrxhIwk4
– NDTV (@ndtv) January 22, 2021
“The most reliable sources on this village which makes so much noise tell us that this territory has been de facto under the control of China since 1959”, explains Harsh Pant, an international relations specialist in New Delhi. For him, there is nothing to be surprised about. “Since the 1980s, we have seen that China has been building infrastructure in the region which appears to be intended for civilians, but which is in fact intended for the troops of the People’s Army. lives here. “
This conflict, between India and China, is actually deep. On the side of Beijing, we simply do not recognize this Indian state. The regime’s media speak of a “so called Arunachal Pradesh”, which according to them corresponds to southern Tibet. But this border dispute does not end there: the conflict also concerns Ladakh, where the situation is explosive.
“Relations between India and China have deteriorated very severely since last year, recalls Harsh Pant. During a clash between the two armies in the Himalayas, Indian soldiers were killed. It was the first time we had seen such violence in decades. Since the Covid, China feels it has the opportunity to expand geopolitically. Its economy is running at full speed, while the rest of the world still grapples with the virus. “
In India, the government did not react strongly to the images of this village, contenting itself with highlighting the progress made in infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh. Narendra Modi’s party shifts responsibility for these territories to the Congress party, which suffered military defeats by China in the 1960s. The reality is that no one has an interest in a direct confrontation between the two nuclear powers. ‘Asia. The war between India and China must therefore remain cold at all costs.
