Advertisement
China-India border dispute
ChinaDiplomacy

Was China’s military drill in Tibet really just an exercise in logistics?

Thousands of tonnes of equipment have been moved into the region since the start of a border dispute with India

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
A convoy of military trucks is seen heading for Tibet. Photo: Handout
Liu Zhen

China has moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and equipment into Tibet since it became locked in a border dispute with India, according to state media.

The vast haul was transported to a region south of the Kunlun Mountains in northern Tibet by the Western Theatre Command – which oversees the restive regions of Xinjiang and Tibet, and handles border issues with India – the PLA Daily, the official mouthpiece of China’s military reported.

Advertisement

The project took place late last month and involved hardware being moved simultaneously by road and rail from across the entire region, the report said.

A medical van waits at a checkpoint. Photo: Handout
A medical van waits at a checkpoint. Photo: Handout
Advertisement

On Monday, state broadcaster CCTV reported that Chinese troops had taken part in a military exercise using live ammunition on the Tibetan plateau. The location was not far from where Chinese and Indian forces remain locked in a stand-off over a disputed border area at the tri-junction with Bhutan.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x