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With 500 Soldiers On Guard, China Starts New Construction In Doklam

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me | All India
With 500 Soldiers On Guard, China Starts New Construction In Doklam
Thwarted in its last attempt, China has now shifted its unused road construction material North and East of the Doklam face-off site.
All India | Written by Vishnu Som | Updated: October 05, 2017 18:49 IST
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Barely 10 km from the location of the Doklam stand-off, China is expanding an existing track
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Story Highlights
  • China starts expanding road in disputed Doklam Plateau
  • 500 soldiers accompanying construction workers
  • New construction in same area that India holds highly sensitive
New Delhi: Barely a month after the winding down of an aggressive stand-off with India at the Sikkim border, the Chinese army is back to building a road on the Doklam Plateau, just 10 km from the location of the last conflict. The Doklam Plateau is claimed by both Beijing and Bhutan as their territory. India backs Bhutan's claim.

In mid-June, Indian soldiers crossed the Sikkim border to stop the construction of a Chinese road near the "Chicken's Neck", a thin strip that links India to its northeastern states. After nearly 70 days of soldiers from both sides staring down at each other just 150 metres apart, the conflict, described as the worst in decades, subsided with both countries accepting that they were withdrawing their troops, though details were sketchy.

China pulled back its bulldozers and other road-making equipment, said officials in Delhi at the time. Chinese officers said the weather would be among the factors that would determine its plans for construction.


Now, barely 10 kilometres from the location of the stand-off, China is expanding an existing track, reinforcing its claim to the disputed and remote Doklam Plateau. India backs Bhutan's claim to the region and has made it clear that it will not tolerate any infrastructure that would allow China access to the Chicken's Neck, located just south of Doklam.

Thwarted in its last attempt, China has now shifted its unused road construction material North and East of the face-off site. Road construction workers brought into the area are accompanied by upto 500 soldiers though there are no indicators that these soldiers will be permanently based in the area - the Chinese town of Yatung, which is less than 20 km away as the crow flies, is a few hours by road and accommodates them. Neither are there signs of permanent structures to accommodate Chinese soldiers in the area which is snow-bound and bitterly cold in the winter.

Army officers NDTV has spoken to believe that the new road construction is meant to be a strong signal of Beijing's intent to prove its territorial claims. A month ago, Army Chief Bipin Rawat had warned, "As far as the Northern adversary is concerned, flexing of muscles has started. Salami slicing, taking over territory in a very gradual manner, testing our limits or threshold is something we have to be wary about. Remain prepared for situations that are emerging gradually into conflict."

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It is likely that the Army Chief was referring to these renewed Chinese efforts despite the de-escalation of the Doklam crisis which paved the way for the Prime Minister to travel to Xiamen for the BRICS summit last month.

Sources have told NDTV that fresh Chinese road construction activity in the area began shortly after India and China chose to deescalate tensions on August 28. On August 18, the Indian Army, which dominates the area, moved into the Doklam Plateau from their base at the nearby Doka La (pass) and physically prevented the Chinese from stretching the track. China's goal had been to extend the track south across the Torso Nallah to the Jhamperi Ridge, a dominant feature in the area where the Bhutanese Army has a base

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/jus...on-a-road-again-1759103?pfrom=home-topstories

now we get meaning of. salami slicing.

two front war.

and other metaphore
 
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If you read my posts this is exactly what I said the Chinese would do. Bring in a infantry battalion. place it on flank [near Doklam post] and then with guns trained as cover bring in the engineers to build the road.

so do we..
 
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China puts more boots at Doklam

A conclave of Army Commanders next week is set to discuss military preparedness along the China border, amid indications that the Chinese may have beefed up their presence near the Doklam standoff site since the disengagement more than a month ago.

According to sources in the Indian security establishment, the Chinese have 1,500 to 1,700 troops of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) stationed a few hundred metres afrom the standoff site on their side.

New bunkers found

In the locality, Indian surveillance has also detected new bunkers. The sources said road construction stores that were moved to the area during the Doklam standoff also remain in the area, and some road re-laying has been done on the Chinese side not very far from the standoff point.

At least a couple of official sources admitted that they were uncomfortable about the Chinese presence and activities on the plateau. “It is not status quo ante,” an official said. “Ideally, they should withdraw the troops and equipment,” he said.

Defence Ministry officials here claimed that there were only some 300 Chinese soldiers in the area. “There has been no change in the levels (of deployment) since the end of the standoff. Since then, the Chinese troops have only pulled back 300-400 metres,” a senior Army officer said.

The nearest PLA base is at Yatung which has a battalion headquarters with at least 600 soldiers, and is 12-13 km away.

Tanks deployed

Meanwhile, Army sources confirmed that the biannual Army Commanders conference, scheduled to be held from October 9 to 14, would be discussing the Chinese posturing and military preparedness along the border.


The Indian Army has carried out its own readjustments in the India-China-Bhutan trijunction, with forward deployment of T-72 tanks and BrahMos missiles among other equipment.

The two Armies were engaged in a standoff at Doklam near the trijunction since June 16 after Indian soldiers prevented the Chinese from building a road in the disputed territory. After prolonged diplomatic negotiations, the two sides announced disengagement on August 28 ending the 73-day standoff.

Officials said the present posturing by the PLA could be in the context of the crucial Chinese Communist Party Congress scheduled in two weeks. “It is more of a messaging by the PLA for the party. They may pull back after that,” the MoD official said.

“They would not want to wait till winter. It will be difficult to sustain for them,” the official added.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...s-at-doklam/article19797642.ece?homepage=true


 
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To be frank I guess that's what the deal would have been. We leave you build the road a few meters from here. Govt took public for a ride.
People are being fooled by own govt.

Chinese wouldn't back down

Indians agreed that they would let China build the road if China allowed india a face saving way out by moving the route/position of road thus allowing india to dupe the gullible by claiming that this is a different road
 
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Big victory for India.
China has now fully accepted the reality she will never be able to build a road in standoff area and is now forced to build a road 10 km away.
 
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It works a lot for Pakistan.

If India is kept busy at this side of border. Retaliation against Pakistan and big talks will stop. You guys will benefit with keeping less forces on west front to handle other internal issues.
I hope so. Thanks
 
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