BBC: China claims victory over India in Himalayan border row

[defence_analyst]

China says India has withdrawn troops from a disputed Himalayan border area, ending a tense stand-off lasting weeks.

The foreign ministry in Beijing said it was pleased that "trespassing Indian personnel have all pulled back to the Indian side of the boundary".

India's foreign ministry confirmed troops were "disengaging" at Doklam after agreement between the countries.

The row began in mid-June when India said it opposed a Chinese attempt to extend a border road on the plateau.

The area is known as Doklam in India and Donglang in China.

The news comes a week before a visit to China by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The plateau, which lies at a junction between China, the north-eastern Indian state of Sikkim and the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, is disputed between Beijing and Bhutan. India supports Bhutan's claim over it.

Earlier on Monday China made clear it would "continue its sovereignty rights" in the area.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Chinese troops had verified on ground that Indian personnel had withdrawn in the morning.

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A senior Indian government source told the BBC that both sides had pulled out "personnel and equipment" from the area.

'Win for China' ahead of summit
Robin Brant, BBC News, Shanghai

China's president is about to host India's prime minister, among others, at a summit this weekend. No-one likes a reignited border dispute to spoil a showpiece event, especially the Chinese.

But state media here see this as a clear win, referring to Indian troops as "trespassing".

One of the most eye-catching things about this latest stand-off is how it started - road building. China has a vast infrastructure strategy unfurling beyond its western borders but some critics say the One Belt, One Road plan isn't just about economics.

To some the Doklam dispute looked like it fitted this analysis; the army builds a road to establish a physical presence to justify a historical claim. Not dissimilar to the highly controversial island-building China has engaged in for years now in the South China Sea, some said.

Then there's Pakistan, India's arch enemy. It's currently the second biggest recipient of Chinese infrastructure investment. Evidence of a strategy aimed at expanding China's influence around the Indian Ocean, as well as around India.

India will be relieved it's over
Sanjoy Majumder, BBC News, Delhi

It might appear as a major victory for China and a climbdown for India - but that is not how Delhi sees it.

The Indian foreign ministry says the troop pullout is a result of sustained diplomatic efforts behind closed doors over weeks and a senior government official described it as "an honourable draw".

There's no way of verifying what's happening on the ground - and little detail of any concessions that either side may have made. But few doubt that the Indian government will be relieved the stand-off is over without it escalating into a major military confrontation, given China's overall superiority.

One question remains - will the road that started this dispute now be built or abandoned?

In the weeks since the row broke out in June, both countries increased troop numbers and even engaged in several minor confrontations in the area.

Both countries also called on each other to back down, with China in particular warning of "serious consequences".

• What's behind the India-China border stand-off?
• Why is the India-China border stand-off escalating?
• China 'racist' video on India sparks fury

Atul Bhardwaj, adjunct fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies in Delhi, told BBC News that an agreement was the "only alternative" since a confrontation between the two Asian giants "could not have gone on".

He added that the resolution showed "India had initially given primacy to its relationship and commitments to Bhutan" but officials had clearly changed their mind.

"India needs Chinese markets and Chinese investments," he said, adding it would be interesting to see the political fallout of the decision in India, given that Delhi had said it would not back down.

India and China fought a war over the 3,500km (2,174-mile) shared border in 1962, and disputes remain unresolved in several areas, causing tensions to rise from time to time.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41070767

 

[hussain0216]

hmm what to trust

the BBC or indian clown news

 

[AZ1]

hmm what to trust

the BBC or indian clown news

Trust this

As per indian claim, they have defence agreement with Bhutan.

Indian withdraw troops but China is still there patrolling the area.

So much for India - Bhutan friendship and their agreements

 

[The_Showstopper]

Trust this

As per indian claim, they have defence agreement with Bhutan.

Indian withdraw troops but China is still there patrolling the area.

So much for India - Bhutan friendship and their agreements

China Stops Road Construction at Doklam
Doklam Live: China Withdraws Construction Equipment

Not sure how this is the victory of China since the standoff was all about the Road construction by China.

 

[Vishwabalas]

https://www.defencenewsindia.com/it-was-a-war-of-eyeballs-at-doklam-but-cigarettes-were-shared-too/

With India and China agreeing on ‘expeditious disengagement’ along Doka La, the eyeballs of both Indian and Chinese soldiers posted at the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction will finally get some rest.

According to local sources, Indian soldiers posted along the Doka La pass had to stand continuously for 10 hours staring down their Chinese counterparts. “Their duty lasted for 10 hours every day where they had to stand in attention facing their counterparts across the border, much like the North Korean and South Korean soldiers along the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). While temperatures hovered at around 6-10 degrees over the past few months, the rains were particularly cruel in this region,” said Suman Rai (name changed), one of the few local residents of Kupup who helped build the road till Doklam plateau for the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). This road had irked the northern neighbour and started off the stand-off in mid-June.

A red board erected at Kupup indicates that the India-Tibet-Bhutan tri-junction is just 5 km away from this hamlet of 250 people. However, photography is strictly prohibited and any outsiders asking questions to locals are tailed by Sikkim State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) sleuths.

While Indian and Chinese defence ministries claimed that a number of Indian and Chinese soldiers posted at Doka La were only 350 and 300 respectively, local sources said the numbers were much higher.

“Some 8 divisions (each division having 8,800 soldiers) have been posted at Doka La, Nathu La and Jelep La passes bordering China. Of these, around four divisions of Dogra, Gorkha, Punjab and Madras regiments are posted at Doka La alone. This means around 35,200 Indian soldiers were posted in Doka La. New bunkers with tens of artillery guns were placed on strategic positions along the China border. We were at a greater advantage in this region which is why China never tried to do any mischief with us despite the stand-off,” claimed Man Singh Thapa (name changed), a local tourist vehicle driver who had befriended several Army men due to his interest in the standoff.

While the initial numbers may have been 350 Indian and 300 Chinese soldiers at Doklam plateau, locals of Kupup confirmed that convoys of trucks brought jawans from Kalimpong Army cantonment over the next two months through the Rongli route after acclimatisation at Dzuluk village which lies at relatively lower altitude than Doka La.

While the Eastern Command of the Indian Army told The New Indian Express that the process of withdrawal of troops has already begun, the entire process may take some time due to the sheer number of soldiers posted at Doka La.

Though the standoff was as much military muscle-flexing along the border, it was more of a psychological war than a physical one. Though initially tall soldiers of the Dogra regiment were posted at Doka La, gradually they were replaced by Gorkha jawans known for their fierce nature to match the Chinese aggression. However, the stress at Doka La necessitated that the duty of troops be rotated after every week of duty at the plateau.

However, amid the tense engagement at Doka La, Chinese and Indian soldiers shared some lighter moments too.

“The Chinese smoke a lot of cigarettes. Sometimes, they offered us cigarettes in exchange for beedis. When our armies were engaged in stone-pelting and fist-fighting in Pangong Lake in Ladakh, we exchanged sweets and pleasantries on Independence Day,” said an Indian Army soldier, sipping hot tea at a café in Gnathang village while returning from duty at Doka La.

No Android, only feature phones

A commodity that had come under strict scrutiny was Android phones with cameras. Despite owning Android phones with cameras, soldiers, as well as Army porters and locals working as BRO road-builders, were asked strictly not to use them. Switch them off and instead use feature phones without cameras, they were told.

“The Army jawans and locals were barred from using Android phones with cameras to not only prevent any possibility of people capturing pictures of sensitive locations but also because Android phones reveal the locations and movement of people and troops, which may be tracked from across the border,” an Army jawan said.

 

[AZ1]

China Stops Road Construction at Doklam
Doklam Live: China Withdraws Construction Equipment

Not sure how this is the victory of China since the standoff was all about the Road construction by China.

Try harder next time

As per indian claim, they have defence agreement with Bhutan.

Indian withdraw troops but China is still there patrolling the area.

So much for India - Bhutan friendship and their agreements

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

China Stops Road Construction at Doklam
Doklam Live: China Withdraws Construction Equipment

Not sure how this is the victory of China since the standoff was all about the Road construction by China.

That's all based on Indian rumors.

See the actual statement given by the Chinese Foreign Minister, he said all construction activities, including the road on Donglang will be completed.

 

[Vishwabalas]

That's all based on Indian rumors.

See the actual statement given by the Chinese Foreign Minister, he said all construction activities, including the road on Donglang will be completed.

Only chinese foreign minister Forgot to give the Start date for resumption of road construction


Forget about the date of Road completion in Donglang, just tell us the start date when the work will resume.

 

[MultaniGuy]

Good that China won. Little Indians must be pooing in their pants after Chinese victory!

 

[Vishwabalas]

Good that China won. Little Indians must be pooing in their pants after Chinese victory!

So have they given you the date when they will start the Road construction ?

I mean that is what they wanted right ? How else will it be a victory ?

 

[MultaniGuy]

So have they given you the date when they will start the Road construction ?

I mean that is what they wanted right ? How else will it be a victory ?

Who should I trust? Indian media or BBC?

I will trust BBC

 

[Suriya]

hmm what to trust

the BBC or indian clown news

You think BBC is sitting at Doklam ?

 

[Resident Evil]

So as the title explains it: China """"""""Claims""""""".

 

[Gurjot.S]

Who should I trust? Indian media or BBC?

I will trust BBC

Of course. See what BBC is saying.

China claims victory over india not BBC claiming.

They are just posting chinese views...

 

[AZ1]

did they gave indian last time before building it?

So have they given you the date when they will start the Road construction ?

I mean that is what they wanted right ? How else will it be a victory ?

did they give indian last.time?