CHINESE MOVE INTO KASHMIR

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28979, 21 August 1959, Page 13

CHINESE MOVE INTO KASHMIR

India Strengthens Outposts

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 9 p.m.)

LONDON, August 20.

Large numbers of Chinese soldiers have infiltrated into the Ladakh sector of Kashmir, according to the “News Chronicle.”

Without giving much publicity to the moves, India is taking firm steps to strengthen her outposts on the border dividing the area from Tibet.

Senior military officials have left for Leh, the Army headquarters in Ladakh. They hope that a reinforcement of the checkposts will drive the intruding Chinese out.

The "News Chronicle” said the area now occupied by the Chinese is a barren, bleak plateau 15,000 ft high, where nobody lives and nothing grows.

The Chinese trespassed there some years ago and arrested five Indian officers. They finally withdrew and released the officers Since the Tibetan trouble, the Chinese, incursions have been frequent and now the Chinese have shown signs of staying on. While India did not regard it as an invasion, she could not tolerate such a blatantly unfriendly act, especially after recent Chinese propaganda for integrating the Himalayan areas of India with Tibet and China, said the "News Chronicle’s” correspondent. By a combination of blunt diplomatic protest and effective military action locally, the border violation was likely to be ended, be said.

China’s incursion into Ladakh, whose people were of Tibetan origin, had infuriated public opinion in New Delhi, he added. Calcutta reports yesterday said a new revolt was being prepared in Tibet and that the Panchen Lama, the Communist-backed leader, has been placed under strict surveillance by the Chinese.