China has been aggressive towards India over
the past couple of months.
It lays a claim to the Indian administered
regions in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.
Is military strategy the only reason for China's
claims?
Or are there more sinister reasons lurking
underneath the aggression?
This is The Indian Affair.
Aksai Chin in Ladakh is strategically important
for China as it connects Xinjiang Province
to Tibet.
Similarly, China sees Arunachal as a part
of Tibet.
Tawang in Arunachal is famous for its monastery,
built in 1681 in accordance with the wishes
of the 5th Dalai Lama, Nagwang Lobsang Gyatso.
Presence of Arunachal in India jeopardizes
Chinese claims over Tibet.
However, it is often neglected that Tibet,
Ladakh, and Arunachal are rich in natural
resources.
Having access to natural resources is another
reason behind China's nefarious designs towards
the regions.
In 1962, China was a poor country and had
a GDP of 47 billion USD and a population of
665 million.
In contrast, India had a GDP of 42 billion
USD.
However, India's population was 470 million,
which was about 70 percent of Chinese population.
In other terms, on a per capita GDP basis,
China was about 80 percent as rich as India.
To ensure livelihood for a growing population,
China started exploiting resources at a massive
scale.
For the last six decades, Tibet has seen an
unchecked pollution and devastation of its
environment.
For example, a 2013 landslide in Jiama Copper
Polymetallic Mine killed 83 people.
In response to the mining activities, the
local population frequently raise protests,
which are curbed by the Chinese authority
with impunity.
In 2016, tibetans led a massive protest against
a lithium mining company called Ronda Lithium
Co Ltd.
The company would release toxic mine waste
into the local Lichu river, causing serious
water pollution and mass death of fish.
In 2010, geologists discovered 102 types of
mineral deposits in over 3000 mine beds in
Tibet with an estimated value of over 100
billion USD.
Among the variety of mineral resources, Tibet
is reported to have Chromium and Copper far
higher than other regions of mainland China.
Twelve other mineral reserves rank among the
top five across the whole country.
Today, China is the world's largest producer
of Gold and accounts for over 95 percent of
the world's production of rare earth materials.
Rare earth materials are an essential component
of electronic goods, and China uses it as
an lever for economic warfare.
We will discuss this topic in one of our future
videos.
In 2018, China found a gold and silver mine
worth 60 billion USD in Lhunze county, which
is only 150 kms from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
In 2015, China discovered the world's 7th
largest Zinc deposits in the Kunlun Mountains
of Aksai Chin.
According to a report from the Geographical
Survey of India, the Indian administered region
of Arunachal Pradesh has 43 percent of total
graphite deposits of India.
This makes Arunachal a very resourceful and
an attractive landscape for China.
The recent Chinese incursions were in the
sub-sector North region.
This area is rich in high-quality thorium
and uranium reserves.
Puga, which is 10,000-15,000 square kilometre
area south of Shyok valley, is rich in geothermal
borax and sulphur.
Similarly, Durbuk-Tangtse is rich in granite
stones.
It's the same region where the Border Roads
Organisation (BRO) started building a road
in 2007, along Pangong lake.
This road would go right up to Daulat Beg
Oldi in Sub-Sector North.
Geologists believe that there are also hidden
reserves of mercury, iron, nickel and coal
in this area.
Given its altitude and its vast glaciers,
along with its mighty rivers, Tibet is considered
as the Water Tower of Asia.
In addition, it is also known as ‘The Third
Pole’, as it also holds the third largest
store of water-ice in the world, after Antarctica
and the Arctic.
China is planning to divert water from the
rivers of Tibet as a large part of China is
facing a water crisis.
There are reports that China is creating a
1000-km long tunnel to divert Brahmaputra.
China is exploiting Tibet at a massive scale
and has similar plans for Arunachal and Ladakh.
China is also aggressive in the South China
Sea and lays a claim to the territories of
other countries.
Does India have an interest in the region?
Can it play a constructive role in the development
of the region?
We will discuss this in our next episode.
Let us know of your comments.
Please click the bell icon to subscribe to
our channel.
