PLA yet to withdraw from several forward positions: Pentagon Commander on India-China LAC clash

Washington: China has adopted an increasingly assertive military posture to exert pressure and expand its influence across the region and the Chinese expansionary territorial ambitions are also on display along its western border, where its troops have been engaged in a standoff with Indian forces, a top American commander told lawmakers on Tuesday.

During a Congressional hearing, Admiral Philips Davidson, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that the greatest danger for the United States in this competition with China is the erosion of conventional deterrence.

He said that a combat-credible, conventional deterrent posture is necessary to prevent conflict, protect US interests, and to assure its allies and partners. Admiral Davidson told lawmakers that China has adopted an increasingly assertive military posture to exert pressure and expand its influence across the region. 

This is particularly stark concerning Taiwan, he said, adding that Chinese expansionary territorial ambitions are also on display along its western border, where the PLA (People's Liberation Army) has been engaged in a standoff with Indian forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since May 2020.

"The standoff was predicated by clashes over construction activities near the disputed border PLA ground manoeuvre and support elements subsequently forward-deployed roughly 50,000 soldiers along the LAC, leading to a counter-deployment by the Indian Army,” he said.

"The PLA has not yet withdrawn from several forward positions it seized following the initial clash, and the consequent escalation of tensions between the PRC and India has resulted in casualties on both sides. This large-scale PLA mobilisation - which is particularly notable considering the elevation, terrain, and distance involved - has stoked regional concerns that the People's Republic of China (PRC) will increasingly use force to achieve desired outcomes,” Davidson said.

China moved over 60,000 well-armed troops who were mobilised for annual exercises, to contentious areas like Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh in May last year, prompting India to match the PLA's mobilisation which led to an over eight-month-long standoff.

After lengthy rounds of talks, the two sides simultaneously withdrew troops from Pangong Tso area last month while talks are on for the withdrawal of soldiers from the rest of the areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Davidson said that A combat-credible, conventional deterrent posture is necessary to prevent conflict, protect US interests, and to assure its allies and partners.

"Absent a convincing deterrent, the PRC will be emboldened to take action to undermine the rules-based international order and the values represented in our vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. The combination of the PRC's military modernisation program and willingness to intimidate its neighbors through the use, or threatened use of force, undermines peace, security, and prosperity in the region,” he said.

"US Indo-Pacific Command's approach for addressing Great Power Competition centers on advancing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific by focusing on four critical areas: increasing Joint Force Lethality, Enhancing Design and Posture, Strengthening Allies and Partners and modernizing our Exercises, Experimentation, and Innovation Programs,” he added.