The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says the Chinese infrastructure developments played a role in last week's Himalaya border skirmish between the two nuclear-armed nations.
The ASPI analysis said while there was no evidence the latest reported "intrusion" by Chinese troops was aimed at capturing Indian outposts or territory, it could be part of a strategy of normalising China's People's Liberation Army presence on the LAC.
"I think the way in which escalation has been managed does show that there isn't an appetite, from either side, for the conflict at the moment," Mr Ruser added. "So I think there needs to be more of a recognition that this issue isn't just something that affects China and India — if the status quo on this border is changed, then it has implications for peace and order in the whole region."Dr Ruth Gamble, a senior lecturer and environmental historian of the Himalaya from La Trobe University, explained the LAC follows the McMahon Line, which was drawn by the British and skips between mountain peaks.
She added that building roads on permafrost damages it, and that it is difficult to maintain roads at this altitude, more than 4,000 metres above sea level."Building all-weather roads and maintaining them – a full-time job – enables more troops to get closer to the border, and this will likely lead to more clashes as the two sides negotiate their positions."
But she said approaching the issue purely through a strategic lens was "frustrating and possibly dangerous"."Most ASPI reports about this area describe the strategic implications for India and China and ignore the environmental damage border escalations cause, and the strains being posted at high altitudes put on the soldiers.
Dr Alexander Davis, a lecturer in international relations at the University of Western Australia, agreed.
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