China Strengthens Military Presence In Tibet: To Build New Army Camps, Three Airports Near Line Of Actual Control

Even after the Doklam standoff between India and China, the latter is surreptitiously strengthening its military presence in Tibet, including upgrading a military camp in its western command and preparing the construction of several new airports in the region, reports Defence News.

The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has already started work on upgrading a civil airport in Gongga, Tibet, which is situated quite close to the border with India.

Three new airports are planned to be constructed in Burang, Lhunze and Tingri as part of the ‘3+1 project’. China is planning to spend around $2.6 billion on this project and is looking to complete it by 2021.

Apart from China setting up a number of new military bases near the border region, it may also have a secret guided missile unit, called the ‘622 Missile Brigade’, located just 900 km from Arunachal Pradesh, in Yuxi, Yunnan.

The PLA is adding long-range kill missiles at this new site. The Chinese missile arsenal has weaponry with the range going from 250 km up to thousands of kilometres.

Previously, the Chinese military had used fast patrolling boats at Ladakh’s Pangong Tso Lake as part of a surveillance mission. It has now been revealed that a special water squadron named ‘Zhong Dui’ is also stationed at the lake and is equipped with high tech navigational and communication capabilities.