China warned US officials against interfering in Indo-China matters: Pentagon

• The PRC (People’s Republic of China) seeks to prevent border tensions from causing India to partner more closely with the US.
• The Pentagon also said that throughout 2021 the PLA ‘continued infrastructure build-up along the LAC.’
• China blamed India for encroaching on it territory by building infrastructure, while the latter accused China of incursions.

The Pentagon in a report revealed that China warned American officials not to interfere in its relationship with India. The report submitted to the U.S Congress said that Beijing is not in the favour of India-US ties getting stronger because of the standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). China tried to downplay its border dispute with India along the LAC in an attempt to prevent it from harming other areas of their bilateral relationship, said the report. The Pentagon also said that throughout 2021 the PLA ‘continued infrastructure build-up along the LAC.’ Notably, India has discussed the China problems with its QUAD Partners which included United States. The report, however, is a proof that growing India-U.S ties have rattled China.

‘Geopolitical dominance’

The relationship between India and China has not been normal for quite some time over the communist nation’s aggressive gesture along the Arunachal and Laddakh borders. China also claims Arunachal Pradesh in its entirety. India and China have been engaged in a border row since March 2020. Notably, both countries have varied perceptions of the LAC, which leads to frequent friction. China was building a bridge and a military camp in Indian territory. In May 2020, Indian and Chinese forces clashed at multiple locations along the LAC, triggering the heavy deployment of forces on both sides. Both countries demanded the other back off and return to pre-standoff conditions, but neither agreed. China blamed India for encroaching on Chinese territory by building infrastructure, while the latter accused China of launching incursions into Indian territory, said the report.

‘China intends to prevent border tensions’

The Pentagon said in its report that China intended to prevent border tensions to check India’s growing diplomatic closeness with the US. It further says that throughout 2021, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the principal military force of China, sustained the deployment of armed personnel and continued building infrastructure along the LAC. According to report, negotiations helped little owing to pushback from both sides.

‘China to have 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035’

China will likely have a stockpile of 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 if it continues with its current nuclear buildup pace. “They’ve got a rapid buildup that is kind of too substantial to keep under wraps,” a senior US defence official said during a news briefing on the Pentagon’s annual report on China’s military. It said China had escalated efforts to modernize, diversify, and expand its nuclear armory. President Xi Jinping this month asked his forces to maintain combat readiness and “prepare for war.”

(With agencies’ inputs)

-INDIA NEWS STREAM