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OPINION                                                                  JULY 05, 2024     |  The Indian Eye 12



        the Chinese nation-state has result-                                                                  and Guiding Principles for the set-
        ed in China issuing the “Plan for the                                                                 tlement of the India-China Bound-
        Construction of Well-off Villages in                                                                  ary Question”. According to Arti-
        Border  Areas  of  the  Tibet  Autono-                                                                cle VII of the 2005 agreement “In
        mous Region (2017-2020)”.                                                                             reaching a boundary settlement, the
            Under the plan, China complet-
        ed the construction of over 604 bor-                                                                  two sides shall safeguard due inter-
                                                                                                              ests of their settled populations in
        der villages, and 130 border roads                                                                    the border areas”.
        were renovated.
                                                                                                                  By populating and re-populat-
                                                                                                              ing these border areas, China’s ac-
        The Xiaokang model aims to                                                                            tion can be interpreted as a move
        populate the 21 Himalayan                                                                             to claim the disputed territories by
        border counties, including Ny-                                                                        arguing that these areas are inhab-
                                                                                                              ited by a “settled population”. Con-
        ingchi, Shannan, Shigatse, and                                                                        sequently, the illegal transgression

        Ngari prefectures. Overall, the                                                                       into Indian territories through the
                                                                                                              salami slicing technique by con-
        plan aims to construct new                                                                            structing Xiaokang villages and
        Xiaokang border houses, infra-                                                                        eventually expanding them into set-
                                                                                                              tled populations would allow China
        structure, and public service                                                                         to tactically influence Article VII of
        facilities in these counties to                                                                       the 2005 agreement. Article VII of
        enrich the border areas and                                Mainling County 2024                       the 2005 agreement also implies the
                                                                                                              importance of maintaining peace
        create a strong border force in                                                                       and tranquility in the border areas

        the border areas of Tibet.                                                                            to prevent the escalation of conflicts
                                                                                                              and preserve the interests of the
                                                                                                              border people.
            Seemingly, it is China’s relent-
                                                                                                                  However, by constructing bor-
        less effort to extend its military                                                                    der villages close to the LAC, China
        power across its borders with India.                                                                  has created tensions along the LAC.
        It is also a means of combining the                                                                   All indicate  a disregard for main-
        ideological framework of Xiaokang,                                                                    taining peace and stability in the
        which in turn encourages these bor-                                                                   border areas, thus violating Article
        der residents to view their role as an                                                                VII of the 2005 agreement. In addi-
        active border defense, blending tra-                                                                  tion, Article IV of the 2005 agree-
        ditional values with modern nation-                                                                   ment also noted that “The two sides
        alistic sentiments.                                                                                   will give due consideration to each
            The development changes in
        border areas of Tibet are evident                                                                     other’s strategic and reasonable in-
                                                                                                              terests, and the principle of mutual
        in Map 1. Located just 12 km from                                                                     and equal security”. However, the
        the eastern part of LAC, Mainling                                                                     construction of the Xiaokang border
        County, a prefecture-level city in                                                                    villages close to the LAC, Tawang,
        Nyingchi in eastern Tibet, has un-                                                                    and Siliguri Corridor has acted in a
        dergone  significant  improvements.                                                                   way that has violated India’s strate-
        In  2009,  Mainling  County  was  rel-                                                                gic interests.
        atively underdeveloped compared
        to its current state in 2024. These
        changes have become more pro-              Mainling County 2009. Source: Google Earth Satellite Image (MAP 1)   Conclusion
        nounced following Xi Jinping’s im-                                                                        By constructing border villages
        plementation of the Xiaokang poli-  border force through its military-ci-  patrolling and troop deployment   and military structures in close prox-
        cy in Tibet in 2017.              vilian fusion strategy, which has   also  reflects  China’s  preparedness   imity to the LAC, Tawang, and Sili-
            The proliferation of Xiaokang   been increasingly promoted under   to consolidate its hold over disputed   guri Corridor, and disputed areas,
        villages in these border counties of   Xi Jinping’s term. Given China’s   territory. For instance, 100Xiaokang   China has acted in a way that poses
        Tibet is seen as China’s attempt to   emphasis on military-civilian fusion,   village homes were built by China   a threat to India’s security. China
        increase its presence on the borders   it is natural to expect that these   on the banks of the River Tsari Chu   aims to unilaterally consolidate its
        indirectly. It is evident from the in-  Xiaokang border villages will serve   in the upper Subansari District of   position along the LAC. These de-
        crease in Han population in Tibet   as a forward border post for troop   Arunachal Pradesh. Additionally,   velopments close to the LAC would
        from 8.2 percent in 2010 to 12.2 per-  deployment. The broad networks of   the establishment of the Xiaokang   further aggravate the already tense
        cent in 2020 and the decrease in Ti-  roads and active civilian force near   border village near Tawang and in   situation between India and China.
        betan population from 90.5percent   the border would act as a border   the Chumbi Valley region near the   Sibani Choudhury is a Research
        in 2010 to 86 percent in 2020. All   defense force and an active deploy-  Siliguri Corridor has raised concern   Associate at Indian Council of World
        supplements Xi Jinping’s Xiaokang   ment of resources in cases of border   for India’s security.               Affairs, New Delhi
        plan in Tibet.                    skirmishes. As a result, these villag-  The establishment of Xiaokang
            It is pertinent to note that the   es would act as extended troop can-  villages close to the LAC is also   This article first appeared in the View-
        Xiaokang border plan aims to pop-  tonments near the LAC.           against the spirit of the 2005 agree-  point section of the website (www.icwa.
        ulate the border areas with people    Developing these Xiaokang vil-  ment between India and China con-  in) of Indian Council of World Affairs,
        loyal to the CCP to create a civilian   lages as  a forward post for border   cerning the “Political Parameters   New Delhi, on June 21, 2024


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