China has organized celebratory events in newly built border villages close to the borders with India and Bhutan to commemorate the anniversary of its annexation of Tibet last week on March 28.
Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency in its report stated that March 28th marks the 65th anniversary of what China terms the “democratic reform” in its southwestern so-called Xizang Autonomous Region, globally known as Tibet.
The celebrations were highlighted in the state-run Global Times, emphasizing their presence in the newly established border villages adjacent to India and Bhutan. China has been actively constructing well-equipped settlements along these borders, a move that has sparked concerns in both India and Bhutan.
A recent report in February revealed that three villages, featuring modern infrastructure for residents and soldiers, were erected along the disputed boundary with Bhutan. While China portrays these developments as part of its poverty alleviation efforts, they are also viewed by critics as strategic moves to broaden its foothold in the Himalayan region.
According to the Global Times, China has constructed approximately 624 such villages in border regions. The report underscored the celebrations held across these areas, depicting them as symbols of development and progress. In specific regions like the so-called Yadong County and Medog County, located along the southern borderlands with India and Bhutan, multiple events were organized to mark the anniversary.
China’s relentless efforts to develop these border areas, coupled with its strategic undertones, continue to be closely monitored by India and neighbouring countries, especially amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region.
Two days after the celebration on Saturday, China announced the renaming of 30 additional places within a disputed border region with India, in a move seen as a bid to reinforce its territorial claims in the area. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs released the updated list of names on Saturday, covering various locations in Arunachal Pradesh, a border state of India.
