China building ability to 'fight and win wars' post 2020 standoff with India: US report

Following the 2020 military standoff with India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), China has enhanced its development capabilities and concepts to strengthen its ability to “fight and win war” against a “strong enemy,” the US Department of Defence has said in its latest report to the US Congress.

In the report that covered the military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China (PRC) through early 2024, the US also revealed that China has not scaled back its military presence along the LAC in eastern Ladakh region. It said there was significant and sustained escalation in military infrastructure in the region.

“The Western Theatre Command’s (WTC) primary focus is on securing the People’s Republic of China border with India. In recent years, differing perceptions between India and the PRC regarding border demarcations have facilitated multiple clashes, force buildups, and military infrastructure construction,” report said, referring to the developments along the LAC since the India-China military standoff.

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The report further claimed that China has strengthened its training and infrastructure aimed at long-term sustenance of the troops along the LAC.

The report cited the Galwan clash of June 2020, saying that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) “has not drawn down its positions or troop numbers since the 2020 clash and has built infrastructure and support facilities to maintain multiple Brigade deployments along the LAC”.

“These engagements coincide with a significant and sustained escalation in military infrastructure to support a long-term presence on the LAC,” the report said, referring to the developments on the LAC since the standoff.

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On October 21 this year, the Indian government announced that India and China reached an agreement on disengagement and the resumption of patrolling from Demchok and Depsang in eastern Ladakh, the last two friction points of the 2020 standoff, returning to the status quo of pre-April 2020.

The US report also observed that since 1998, China has settled 11 land-based territorial disputes with six of its neighbours. It also said that the PRC, in the last decade, used a “more coercive” approach to deal with disputes over maritime features, rights to potentially rich offshore oil and gas deposits, and border areas.

The report said that the PLA has continuously been improving its methods and standards of training combined arms units. “Training encompassed individual to collective soldier events integrating reconnaissance, infantry, artillery, armor, engineers, and signal units,” it said.

It also pointed out that in addition to continued deployments on the Indian border and in Myanmar, the PLA conducted multiple large-scale exercises in training areas throughout the country.

The report also pointed out that in 2020, PLA Special Operations Forces from the Tibet Military Region were deployed on the LAC with India following clashes between Chinese and Indian troops in eastern Ladakh.