BEIJING – China is upgrading air defence of its Western Theatre Command,which looks after the security along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), to”confront any threat from India”, an official media report quoted amilitary expert as saying.
The Chinese military has released photographs of a J-10 fighter jet – alightweight multi-role fighter aircraft – along with J-11 – a single-seat,twin-engine fighter jet – flying over the high-altitude plateau in westernChina during the current Chinese New Year and Spring Festival holiday,state-run Global Times reported on Tuesday.
The jets are attached to an aviation brigade of the air force under the PLAWestern Theatre Command, the website of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)said.
China has also recently commissioned its stealth fighter, the J-20, whichis first in the region.
The Western Theatre Command is mainly responsible for mountain warfare atthe border area with India. The LAC stretches to 3,488-km including thehigh altitude Tibetan plateau.
India and China have been trying to reset their ties after last year’s73-day standoff between the two sides at Dokalam in Sikkim section of theboundary.
It is significant for China to strengthen control of airspace over themountainous region, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TVcommentator, told the Global Times.
“Strengthening the 3.5-generation fighter jets or even stationing moreadvanced fighters in the Western Theatre Command has been urgent for thePLA,” Song said.
Considering that India possesses 3rd-generation fighter jets, China’sstationing of its 3.5-generation jets would be able to deal with anycurrent threat from India, Song said.
Apparently referring to India’s acquisition of Rafale fighter jets fromFrance, Song said, “with India importing new jets, China will continuestrengthening its fighter jets in the Western Theatre Command.”
Since he took over power in 2013, President Xi Jinping, who is also generalsecretary of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the CentralMilitary Commission, has been pressing the PLA to step up live firingdrills to win local wars.