Explained: What China aims to achieve by building a second, bigger bridge on Pangong Tso

What is the News?

The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that China is building a second bridge on the Pangong Tso lake. This site is not far from the site of one of the most intense friction points in the border standoff that began in May 2020.

What is the status of bridges built by China?

The first bridge seemed to have been built to facilitate work on the new one. After completion, this second bridge will allow swift movement of armoured vehicles between the north and the south banks of Pangong Tso.

The construction site is just east of an old ruin called Khurnak Fort, where China has major frontier defence bases. China calls it Rutong Country.

About Pangong Tso

Pangong Tso is a 135-km long landlocked lake. India has around 45 km of Pangong Tso under its control, while China has more than two-thirds. The site of the new bridge is near the halfway mark of the boomerang-shaped lake.

The site of the bridge is around 20 km east of Finger 8 on the lake’s north bank – which is where the Line of Actual Control (LAC) passes.

Whose territory is the bridge located in?

Although it is being built in territory that is under China’s control since 1958, the exact point is just west of India’s claim line, which means India considers it its own territory. The Ministry of External Affairs last week stated that it considers the area as illegally occupied by China.

Why does China choose this location?

Indian Army during the standoff conducted an operation in this region. Indian troops outmanoeuvred the People’s Liberation Army to occupy the heights of Kailash Range in the Chushul sub-sector on the south bank of Pangong Tso.

The positions allowed India to dominate the strategically significant Spanggur Gap.

The Spanggur Gap could be used to launch offensive manoeuvres as China had done in 1962. Also, India got a direct view of China’s Moldo Garrison. This was a cause of immense concern for the Chinese.

How do the bridges help China?

The new bridge will allow Chinese troops to reduce travel time from around 12 hours at the moment to around four hours.

The bridges help in the faster movement of troops, including mechanised forces, heavy weapons, and military vehicles. The bridges are at one of the narrowest points on the lake, close to the LAC.

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: What China aims to achieve by building a second, bigger bridge on Pangong Tso” published in Indian Express on 25th May 2022.