Prepare for India border row to escalate, Chinese strategists warn Beijing
- Frontline troops should have authority to respond to ‘intrusions’ by Indian forces, hawkish observers say
- Deployment of non-lethal weapons such as stun grenades ‘should also be an option’
The Indian Army said 20 of its soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand combat with Chinese soldiers. Both countries have accused each other of causing the skirmish and of breaking promises.
A number of retired members of the Chinese military are calling for Beijing to prepare for further escalation, including granting its frontline troops more power to respond to an “intrusion” by Indian forces and deploying non-lethal hi-tech weapons such as laser guns along the border.
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Chinese exercise in Tibet after border clash with India
Qiao Liang, a retired air force major general and military theorist, said that while the possibility of an all-out war between the two countries remained low, China needed to prepare for an escalation into an armed conflict.