introduction
In the summer of 1999, on the border of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a tense standoff quietly began.
In the Dongzhang region of the Sino-Indian border, there was an 82-day standoff. This confrontation is thrilling and has attracted the attention of the world.
The incident began when a 33-member civilian-military herding team in China was forcibly blocked by 46 armed India soldiers.
After that, China and India confronted each other on a plateau at an altitude of nearly 4,000 meters, and reached a stalemate......
The strategic significance of the Dongzhang area
Located in Shannan City in the southern part of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, the Dongzhang region covers an area of about 37 square kilometers and is a unique place.
Located in the highlands of the Himalayas, the climate is extremely poor and the air is very thin.
The environment is so harsh that it is prohibitive.
Despite the harsh natural environment, the Dongzhang region has become the core of the dispute between China and India because of its key geostrategic value.
The Dongzhang area is rich in water resources, and its Dongzhang Waterfall is the spiritual holy place of the local Tibetan compatriots, known as the "Holy Water Waterfall".
However, since the 60s of the 20th century, India has shown great interest in the Dongzhang region.
In 1962, on the eve of the Sino-Indian border self-defense counterattack, the instructors thought for ten days and ten nights and could not understand why India dared to attack us.
The Indian man's self-confidence really frightened us at the beginning.
But with the outbreak of war, after two months of fierce fighting, we realized that India was simply vulnerable.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) won a brilliant victory, while the Indian army suffered heavy losses, with as many as 4,885 casualties and another 3,968 captured.
In this self-defense counterattack against India, India has almost pushed the situation to the situation of defending the capital.
Although the war was won, the Sino-Indian border issue could not be completely resolved, and India, after being beaten honestly for several years, felt that it could do it again.
The encroachment on disputed border areas such as Dongzhang has also begun.
Since 1968, India has set up a number of military posts in the area around Dongzhang in a vain attempt to bring it under its de facto control by means of military control.
In response to India's encroachment, the mainland has taken aggressive countermeasures.
In order to defend sovereignty, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has frequently carried out joint grazing and routine patrols in the Dongzhang area, fully demonstrating its firm determination and strong strength to defend every inch of the motherland.
Since 1995, we have joined hands with local herders to graze their cattle in Dongzhang's Duogol Grassland and Tuopuha Grassland, as a way to assert our claim to the "sovereignty" of the region.
These moves not only effectively prevent India's further expansion, but also send a clear message to the international community:
The Dongzhang area is China's inherent territory, and any form of aggression will not be tolerated! It is sacrosanct, and it is our firm mission and responsibility to defend its sovereignty.
Conflict broke out
However, in the face of these countermeasures by China, India is not willing to give up.
On July 6, 1999, the Chinese border guards and herders carried out grazing and patrol work in the Duogol Grassland in Dongzhang in accordance with the established plan.
The team consisted of 20 PLA officers and soldiers and 13 herders, who also carried about 60 head of livestock.
The aim is to demonstrate China's sovereignty over the border area through grazing.
But just as the grazing team arrived at the Myra Pass, an accident happened.
Forty-six heavily armed India soldiers suddenly appeared on the path of the Chinese grazing team and blocked it without warning.
The India soldiers were apparently prepared and forcibly set up barricades in front of them to stop the Chinese contingent from advancing.
Faced with the obstruction of the India army, the PLA team immediately made a response decision, choosing to stay at the scene and start grazing in situ, while reporting the emergency to the rear.
Things deteriorated further that night.
Instead of withdrawing, India's troops have intensified their provocations. His actions are not only unreasonable, but also undermine regional peace and stability, which is outrageous.
Indian soldiers actually trespassed into the tents of mainland herders at night and forcibly searched them.
This aggressive behavior not only angered the PLA officers and soldiers at the scene, but also made the incident more complicated and dangerous.
Tough confrontation
As the incident escalated, Chinese border guards immediately sent reinforcements to the scene.
In a short period of time, the support team of the Sang Ya Company quickly rushed to the Myra Pass and formed a confrontation situation with the Indian army.
Satellite image of Myra Pass
Both sides were tense for a while, but they both tried their best to avoid misfire.
The India side apparently did not intend to back down, not only stationed in place, but also began to set up tents and temporary fortifications on the site in a posture of long-term occupation.
The officers and men of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), on the other hand, did not flinch, resolutely upheld the sovereignty of the Dongzhang area, and firmly held their positions.
However, the natural conditions in the Dongzhang area are extremely harsh.
At an altitude of nearly 5,000 meters, the climate is very cold and the air is thin, which poses a great challenge for our soldiers.
For the Chinese border guards, the most difficult thing is not the confrontation with the India army, but how to maintain a normal life and combat readiness on this almost isolated plateau.
Due to the steep terrain, logistical replenishment was extremely difficult.
Despite this, local Tibetan herders have been uncomplaining about supporting the fighters on the front lines.
They formed spontaneous "mountain carrying teams" that carried food and drinking water from the bottom of the mountain to the mountain four times a day, shuttling between the steep mountain roads.
The soles of the feet of the "Backpackers" were often broken by rocks and their shoulders were bloodied by ropes, but they persevered.
This difficult situation did not stop for 82 days.
In the face of bad weather and difficult conditions, the PLA soldiers fought a resolute confrontation with the India army with tenacious willpower.
Although India has a certain advantage in numbers and terrain, it is gradually feeling great psychological pressure in the face of the uncompromising attitude of the Chinese army.
Negotiations and withdrawal
As the confrontation dragged on, the situation became more complicated.
China and India began several rounds of negotiations through diplomatic channels in an attempt to resolve the conflict through peaceful means.
The mainland has always insisted that the Dongzhang area belongs to China's territory and brooks no encroachment by any external forces.
In the course of the negotiations, China argued with a solid historical basis and international law, and demonstrated the determination of the Chinese armed forces to defend its sovereignty through concrete actions.
Although India initially tried to force China to make concessions through military pressure, as the standoff dragged on, the India military gradually realized that it was not wise to continue the stalemate.
On the one hand, India is under increasing pressure in the international community.
On the other hand, the Indian army gradually became passive in the confrontation, and its material supply and morale were seriously affected.
On 26 September 1999, after lengthy negotiations and consultations, India finally made the decision to withdraw its troops.
India troops began to withdraw from heights 4510 and 4651, dismantling makeshift fortifications, and the confrontation between the two sides officially ended.
China's border guards continued to hold on to the Dongzhang area and successfully safeguarded the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The continuation of the conflict
Although the 1999 standoff ended in a Chinese victory, the situation in the Dongzhang region did not completely subside.
In the years that followed, India made several attempts to continue encroaching on the Dongzhang region, frequently crossing the Line of Actual Control and conducting provocative military operations.
India's ambitions for the Dongzhang region have never gone away, and it is still trying to change its de facto control over the region in various ways.
In response to the ongoing threat from India, the mainland government has continuously increased infrastructure construction in the Dongzhang area and improved the logistics of border guards.
In recent years, China has built roads in the area near Dongzhang, which has significantly increased the patrol capacity and emergency response speed of border guards.
The construction of these infrastructures not only further consolidates China's de facto control over the Dongzhang region, but also provides a solid guarantee for possible border conflicts in the future.
epilogue
The 1999 confrontation in the Dongzhang area was a major incident on the Sino-Indian border issue.
It not only demonstrates the resolute determination of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty, but also reflects the complex geopolitical situation in the border areas.
During the 82-day standoff, China's border guards, together with herders, braved the harsh natural environment.
Relying on tenacious perseverance and firm faith, he finally held the territory of the motherland.
Today, the Dongzhang region remains a sensitive area on the Sino-Indian border.
But through continuous construction and investment, China has built up a strong border defense force to ensure that it can continue to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity in any future challenge.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army will continue to fulfill its sacred mission and defend every inch of the motherland.