India-China tensions ratchet up a notch again

Peace without ease in the Himalayas

The Hindu reports that a group of Indian army “commanders” is set next week “to discuss military preparedness along the China border, amid indications that the Chinese may have beefed up their presence near the Doklam standoff site since the disengagement more than a month ago.”

• The article cites sources “in the Indian security establishment” who say the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has stationed 1,500 to 1,700 troops “a few hundred metres from the standoff site on their side.”
• The article also says that “Indian surveillance has also detected new bunkers,” and that “some road re-laying has been done on the Chinese side not very far from the standoff point.”
• In response to India’s claims about new Chinese deployments, the Chinese Foreign Ministry told India Today that “there is no dispute that Donglang [as China calls Doklam] has always been a part of China’s territory, and always under China’s effective and valid administration.”

Other relevant links:

• India Today reports that China “has this week issued its third travel warning aimed at India, following two advisories that were issued in July and August amid the military stand-off at Doklam near the India-Bhutan-China trijunction.” The advisory said that several Chinese tourists had been denied entry into India.
• On the Indian website The Wire, Nirupama Rao argues that “China may be an adversary, but making it an enemy will not serve India.”
• Last week, The China Project looked at Chinese arms sales: Some observers believe that China is selling discounted drones to Asian countries partly to contain India.

Live Sinica Podcast in New York on Monday, October 9

If you’re in Manhattan at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, come to the China Institute, where my Sinica cohost Kaiser and I will interview Gary Liu 刘可瑞, who was appointed CEO of the South China Morning Post after Alibaba acquired the venerable Hong Kong newspaper. Gary is a veteran of the tech world — he was formerly the CEO of Digg and head of Spotify Labs.

We’re going to ask him to talk about how the paper can navigate the familiar challenges that newspapers around the world face, coupled with Alibaba’s ownership and pressures from Beijing. The podcast recording will be followed by a moderated Q&A with the audience.

Buy your tickets here.

Chinese gymnastics is back

Deadspin reports: “There’s a new men’s world champion and he’s from China. Xiao Ruoteng 肖若腾 succeeded the injured Kohei Uchimura as ‘best male gymnast in the world.’”