China sends troops near India-Pakistan border?

Chinese soldiers. Photo: Reuters

Indian TV ChannelZee NewsNew Delhi forces have detected Chinese military movements in the area near the border with Pakistan, a senior intelligence official said.

Specifically, the Chinese People's Liberation Army has sent troops to the Thar region of Pakistan's Sindh province, 90 km from the border with India.

“Indian Border Security Force has detected movement of Chinese military personnel towards the border. This could be due to local opposition to Chinese projects in Sindh and Balochistan provinces, which has led to Beijing sending troops there,” an intelligence source toldZee News.

Accordingly, China is said to have sent troops to ensure that there are no threats to coal mining projects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Local people have protested against these projects in recent years. China is said to be unhappy that the Pakistani army cannot protect the projects as promised.

CPEC is a $62 billion plan that includes numerous infrastructure projects being built across Pakistan.

Pakistan has deployed 17,000 troops to guard the 3,000-km corridor. In addition, Islamabad’s military had assured Beijing that it would ensure the safety of the projects. However, after several attacks by locals on Chinese projects and citizens, Beijing decided to send troops.

Although this is a move to protect CPEC, former Indian military official Harsha Kakar said that China seems to also secretly want to establish a military base in Pakistan, as well as a move to prevent India in case New Delhi attacks Pakistan.

Mr. Kakar said that while India would never enter deep into Pakistani territory, in the long run, China could move its troops closer to India and could establish military bases in the area, which could cause concern for India.