Page 8 - The Indian EYE 061722

NATION JUNE 17, 2022 | The Indian Eye 8

Alarm in Ladakh: China upgrades its air force at

border as US says the situation is eye-opening

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs says China and India can resolve the border situation

through dialogue and that US officials were trying to add “fuel to the fire”

OUR BUREAU “alarming”. “India carefully moni-
tors developments along our borders
Leh/New Delhi/Beijing
areas including construction of infra-
t a time when an American structure by the Chinese side in the
military officer termed the western sector as well as that been
AChinese military infrastruc- undertaken further in-depth areas,”
ture development along the border he said while addressing a media
with India as alarming, it is emerging briefing. “The government is com-
that the Chinese Air Force is continu- mitted to and takes all adequate and
ously maintaining the deployment of appropriate measures to safeguard
over two dozen frontline aircraft at its territorial integrity and sovereignty
Hotan air base near Eastern Ladakh as the developments in recent years
sector. have clearly demonstrated,” Bagchi
According to government sourc- said.
es, the Chinese Air Force has now He said the government of India
maintained the presence of their 25 has taken various measures in recent
frontline fighters at the Hotan air years to develop infrastructure along
base which include their J-11, and the border areas to not only meet
J-20 fighters. “The Chinese earli- United States Army Pacific Commanding General Charles A. Flynn being welcomed by Vice India’s strategic and security require-
er used to maintain detachments of Chief of the Army Staff Lieutenant General BS Raju on his arrival at South Block Lawn to inspect ments but also facilitate the econom-
MiG-21 class fighters there but they the Guard of Honour, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo/ ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY Twitter) ic developments of the areas.
have now been replaced with more But after the US General
capable and sophisticated aircraft termed the Chinese activity level in
and in larger numbers,” they said. eastern Ladakh as “eye-opening” the
On Wednesday, US Army’s Pa- Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
cific Commanding General Charles (MoFA) on Thursday stated that
A Flynn, who is on a four-day visit to China and India have the will and
India talked about the infrastructure capability of resolving the question
development by China along its bor- of the border situation through dia-
ders with India in the Ladakh sector, logue and consultation and that US
and called the Chinese activities in officials were trying to add “fuel to
that region “eye-opening”. General the fire”.
Flynn said, “I think some of the in- Addressing a regular press con-
frastructures that are being created ference, Chinese Foreign Minis-
in the Western Theatre Command try spokesperson Zhao Lijian said,
are alarming.” “Some US officials have pointed
The Chinese Air Force is also fingers and sought to fan the flame
building up new airfields close to and drive a wedge between the two
the Indian territory which can allow countries. This is disgraceful. We
them to carry out missions from low- Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande visiting forward areas in Ladakh to review the hope the US could do more things
er altitudes. that contribute to regional peace and
Indian agencies are keeping a operational preparedness (ANI Photo/Indian Army twitter) stability.”
close eye on the activities of the Peo- Describing the border situation
ple’s Liberation Army’s Air Force times with the construction of hard- ternal Affairs on Thursday said that as “stable in general,” the Chinese
(PLAAF) that has spread all along ened shelters, the extension of run- India is carefully monitoring the de- spokesperson said, “the front-line
the Line of Actual Control with In- way lengths and the deployment of velopments along its border areas armies of the two countries have real-
dia opposite to Ladakh in the north additional manpower to carry out including the construction of infra- ized disengagement in most parts of
to Arunachal Pradesh in the North- more operations. The Indian side structure by the Chinese side in the the Western sector of the China-In-
east. Along with Hotan, the agencies has also ramped up its preparedness eastern Ladakh sector. dia border. The China-India bound-
are also keeping a close eye on Gar in the view of the heightened activity External Affairs Ministry ary question is a matter between the
Gunsa, Kashghar, Hopping, Dkonka by the Chinese forces on their side of Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi made two countries.”
Dzong, Linzhi and Pangat airbases of the LAC and has deployed its fleet of this comment in response to remarks In May this year, India and Chi-
the PLAAF in the Xinjiang and Ti- Sukhoi-30MKIs, MiG-29s and Mi- by an American military commander na held talks on border issues where
bet region. rage-2000s at the forward air bases to that some of the defense infrastruc- they decided to hold the next round
The Chinese PLAAF has been tackle any misadventure. tures that China is creating near its of Senior Commanders meeting at
upgrading these bases in recent Meanwhile, the Ministry of Ex- border with India in Ladakh are an early date.

www.TheIndianEYE.com