China-India border dispute: massive convoy delivers winter supplies to troops at Himalayan outposts
- A week-long transport mission delivered rations to Chinese soldiers stationed along the border with India, according to state media
- Both sides have deployed extra troops in the high-altitude conflict zone during their worst stand-off in decades
Thousands of tonnes of goods – the last batch of supplies available before the bitter snow season – were loaded on to hundreds of heavy trucks before the winter weather cuts off traffic, CCTV reported on Sunday. The trucks travelled day and night along the dangerous mountain routes to deliver the essential goods to frontier outposts along the Himalayas.
This week-long transport campaign was intended to help garrison soldiers stock up on enough supplies and rations to last at their secluded stations until spring.
“Thanks to their efforts, the border soldiers will enjoy a warm winter,” the report said.
The supplies travelled through National Highway G318, a 2,100km (1,300 miles) road connecting the Tibetan capital Lhasa and the neighbouring Sichuan provincial capital Chengdu, the major route linking Tibet to inner China.
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They went through the rugged Hengduan Mountains, one of the world’s most geologically unstable ranges. Despite the rapidly dropping oxygen level, frequent rockslides, damaged roads ascending almost vertical cliffs and commonplace truck breakdowns, the transport corps finished the mission without major accident, CCTV said.
Since early May, Chinese and Indian armed forces have been locked in the worst stand-off in decades on this difficult terrain. Both China and India have reinforced their border forces and have forward deployed extra troops.
As winter falls, this marathon confrontation has turned into a tough game of survival as the troops must live through -30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) winter in the high-altitude, low-oxygen middle of nowhere.
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China has also deployed drones – non-combat unmanned aerial vehicles for winter outdoor missions, such as supply delivery, border patrol and surveillance and armed reconnaissance – to the front line.
