Chinese military delegation visits three of India's neighboring countries.

In a statement on March 13, China's Ministry of Defense said that a delegation from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) held "in-depth discussions" on bilateral defense cooperation and reached various "consensussions" during their visit from March 4 to 13, according to Reuters.

The statement said the discussions also focused on a range of regional and security issues, "enriching the content of defense cooperation" between China and the three South Asian countries.

Chinese Army

Relations between Beijing and New Delhi have become more strained in recent months, stemming from border disputes as well as the presence of Chinese survey vessels in the Indian Ocean.

On March 12, New Delhi rejected China's objections to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern Himalayas, a region Beijing claims as part of southern Tibet.

New Delhi has heightened its vigilance over China's efforts to strengthen ties with countries in the Indian Ocean since the world's second-largest economy reopened after three years of strict anti-epidemic policies.

China upgraded its relations with the Maldives this year after President Mohamed Muizzu was elected in the island nation and chose Beijing for his first state visit. Muizzu pledged to eliminate the Indian military presence, which comprises approximately 75 troops, in the Maldives.

The Maldivian Ministry of Defence announced on March 5 that Male and Beijing had signed an "agreement on China providing military assistance," revealing that the agreement was "free of charge" but providing no further details, according to AFP.

Beijing's interests in the Indian Ocean are also commercial. Half of China's oil imports pass through the region, according to Reuters.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/phai-doan-quan-doi-trung-quoc-tham-3-nuoc-lang-gieng-cua-an-do-185240313211624712.htm