Ten Reasons for Chinese Aggression

At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed on the night of 15th June by the Chinese soldiers in Galwan Valley in the disputed Ladakh region.There were reports of Chinese casualties, but no official confirmation. Military officials from both countries later met to "defuse the situation".

The confrontation which is the worst since 1975, came after tensions built up in recent months over a new road India built in Ladakh, along the Line of Actual Control which divides the two sides. It is the Darbuk–Shyok-DBO Road. It is also called the sub-sector North road. It is an all-weather road in eastern Ladakh in India, close to the Line of Actual Control with China. It connects Ladakh's capital city Leh with the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) post near the China border. The 220-km long section between Shyok and DBO was constructed between 2000 and 2019 by India's Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

The road and the infrastructure angered China, which deployed troops and built infrastructure of its own in disputed territory, bringing the two sides' forces in closer proximity, thereby heightening the risk of clashes.

The other reasons for the Chinese hostility may be the following:

1. The change in status and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 by the Indian government troubled the Chinese.
2. India asserted that Aksai Chin was part of the Ladakh union territory.
3. India is preoccupied with fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and China thought that this was the opportunity to occupy Indian territory.
4. China was internationally being blamed for being negligent and opaque about the corona virus , its origins and spread and thus China had to respond aggressively to convince its people of its powers.
5. India was getting close to the USA strategically.
6. India virtually closed the route to Chinese firms from opportunistically buying shares of Indian companies in April 2020.
7. Chinese hostilities are meant to show its might in South Asia.The recent Nepali behaviour towards India also is backed by Chinese assurances of support.
8. It is a part of China’s policy towards South Asia- 2.0 which is more aggressive and anti-India. It is necessary for its Belt and Road Initiative(BRI) to expand in the region.
9. Chinese assertion in Indian Ocean is being resented by India making China belligerent.
10. China has been hostile to Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Japan in recent weeks and months and this incident is a part of the new Asian geopolitics.

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