New Delhi, 20 February —China is constructing 90 new villages along its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and upgrading infrastructure at the Korala border crossing between Tibet and Nepal’s Mustang region, developments closely watched by security experts.
Sources quoted by The Tribune said that the settlements are part of Beijing’s “Xiaokang” or “prosperous villages” program, covering areas opposite Arunachal Pradesh.
These villages not only reinforce China’s territorial claims but also enhance its military positioning along the undemarcated border.
With the latest expansion, China has now built 628 such villages. Officials say Beijing could cite Article VII of the 2005 Border Defence Cooperation Agreement with India, which speaks of safeguarding “the due interests of settled populations,” as a legal basis to maintain these settlements in future border demarcation efforts.
Meanwhile, India has its own initiative to strengthen border villages. Under the Vibrant Villages Programme, launched on April 13, 2023, at Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh, New Delhi plans to upgrade 2,963 villages over the next decade.
In a separate move, China has significantly upgraded infrastructure at the Korala border crossing, historically a key route for Tibetan refugees fleeing Chinese rule.
Massive buildings and accommodations have emerged on the Tibetan side, raising concerns over further restrictions on movement.
Mustang, a Buddhist-majority region, played a pivotal role in the 1959 Tibetan uprising and later housed the CIA-backed Khampa resistance against Chinese forces until 1972.
Though the rebellion ended, the region remains geopolitically sensitive, with China tightening its grip on border crossings.
