Monday, June 1, 2020

China-India border: Why tensions are rising between the neighbours

India and China share a border more than 3,440km long and have overlapping territorial claims.

There's a row over a new map put out by Nepal, too, which accuses India of encroaching on its territory by building a road connecting with China.

"According to the Chinese military, India is the one which has forced its way into the Galwan valley. So, India is changing the status quo along the LAC - that has angered the Chinese," says Dr Long Xingchun, president of the Chengdu Institute of World Affairs, a think tank.

The new federally-administered Ladakh included Aksai Chin, an area India claims but China controls.

In 2017 India and China were engaged in a similar stand-off lasting more than two months in Doklam plateau, a tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan.

India objected to China building a road in a region claimed by Bhutan.

"China has no intention to escalate tensions and I think India also doesn't want a conflict. But the situation depends on both sides. The Indian government should not be guided by the nationalistic media comments," says Dr Long Xingchun of the CIWA in Chengdu.

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