China’s martial arts fighters in clash at Galwan

Beijing, June 28: China reinforced its troops near the Indian border with mountain climbers and martial arts fighters shortly before a deadly clash this month, state media reported.

Tensions are common between the two nucleararmed neighbours in the mountainous border terrain, but this month’s fighting was their deadliest encounter in over 50 years.

Five new militia divisions including former members of a Mount Everest Olympic torch relay team and fighters from a mixed martial arts club presented themselves for inspection at Lhasa on June 15, official military newspaper China National Defense News reported.

State broadcaster CCTV showed footage of hundreds of new troops lining up in the Tibetan capital.

Tibet commander Wang Haijiang said the Enbo Fight Club recruits would “greatly raise the organization and mobilisation strength” of troops and their “rapid response and support ability,” China National Defense News reported, although he did not explicitly confirm their deployment was linked to ongoing border tensions.

India said 20 of its own soldiers were killed in brutal hand-to-hand combat that day, while China suffered an unknown number of casualties.

The new troops were recruited with the aim of “strengthening the border and stabilizing Tibet,” China National Defense News said. India claims Chinese troops ambushed Indian soldiers and forced them down a ridge where they had gone to remove a Chinese “encroachment”.