Chinese Bridge Construction On Pangong Tso Lake Could Be Completed Soon, Satellite Image Shows

A bridge that China has been constructing on the Pangong Tso Lake, connecting its north and south banks has picked up the pace and nearly 400 metres of the total 500 metres has been completed, new satellite images showed.

Satellite images by Maxar Technologies indicate that the bridge could be completed in a few months.

Maxar Technologies

The bridge, which is 8 metres wide, lies just south of a Chinese army field base on the North Bank of Pangong where Chinese field hospitals and troop accommodations were seen during the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in 2020.

What satellite images show

Satellite images accessed from January 16 showed that Chinese construction workers were using heavy crane-like equipment to help link the bridge's pillars with concrete slabs upon which the tarmac will be laid.

Incase you're still wondering why the new bridge at #PangongTso matters, here's an explainer on its implications & potential advantages it holds for #China's troops in the area, very likely a lesson learnt from #India's maneuvers at Rezang La in 2020 https://t.co/wsQwQuHQT9 pic.twitter.com/xoAzkWIhqY

¡ª Damien Symon (@detresfa_) January 4, 2022

China has been focusing on strengthening its military infrastructure after Indian troops captured several strategic peaks on the southern bank of the Pangong lake in August 2020 after the PLA attempted to intimidate them in the area.

The Chinese move to build a key bridge came in the midst of the eastern Ladakh border standoff that had erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas.

REUTERS

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.

"Safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty"

Earlier this month, Beijing had claimed that its "infrastructure construction" is aimed at safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty.

China's infrastructure construction on its territory entirely falls within its sovereignty and is aimed at safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and security as well as peace and stability in the China-India border¡±, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin had said.

India has, however, maintained that the area where China is currently building a bridge in eastern Ladakh has been under illegal occupation of that country for around 60 years.

AFP

"This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware India has never accepted such illegal occupation," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said.

The development comes even as both India and China have agreed to de-escalate the situation following the Galwan clashes.

In their virtual diplomatic talks on November 18, India and China had agreed to hold the 14th round of military talks at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement at the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.

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