China has occupied more than sixty square kilometres of Indian territory in eastern Ladakh, according to a senior Indian Army source, in a dramatic escalation of the simmering tension between the two Asian superpowers. The Daily Telegraph can reveal that up to 12,000 Chinese troops pushed over the border into India last month amid border clashes as Beijing looks to slap down Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his ever-closer relationship with the United States. The move echoes Xi Jinping’s expansionism in the South China Sea where Beijing have moved to construct military bases in contested territory and has been unchallenged due to its superior military. The United Nations is calling for restraint, and wants talks between the two nations to any escalation of the conflict. Konchok Stanzin, a councillor from the Chushul constituency, where the incursion has taken place, told The Telegraph: “In the past, we have witnessed face-off between two armies and the situation would cool down within hours.
