Beijing denounced India’s reported repositioning of 10,000 soldiers from its western border to its border with China.
Reuters quoted Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning as saying that “China is committed to working with India to safeguard the peace and stability of the border areas.”
“We believe that India’s practice is not conducive to safeguarding peace and is not conducive to easing tensions.”
Ning added that “India’s increase in military deployments in border areas does not help to calm the situation in the border areas or to safeguard peace and safety in these areas.”
China-Focused Command
The redeployed soldiers will be joined by a contingent of 9,000 soldiers under a newly-created fighting command to guard a stretch of border along China’s Tibet region, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed senior Indian officials.
The relatively peaceful border stretch of 532 kilometers (330 miles) lies in the northern Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, home to some of Hinduism’s holiest shrines.
The region has seen infrastructure development and tourism promotion in the last decade, according to Bloomberg.
The Indian Army and the Indian Ministry of Defence refused to comment on the reported development, the outlet added.
Border Dispute
New Delhi repositioned 50,000 troops along the China border in 2021 following a deadly border clash along Ladakh that claimed the lives of 20 Indian and at least three Chinese soldiers.
Both countries subsequently moved military aircraft, tanks, and missiles closer to the border, increasing tensions.
The countries have overlapping territorial claims along the border. This has led to violent clashes and a full-blown war in 1962.