In a fresh move of belligerence, China has used the Winter Olympics sports extravaganza as a vehicle to send a message about its expansionist policies, despite growing international furore.
During a traditional relay event to carry the Winter Olympic torch, the Chinese government reportedly included an army officer who was part of the 2020 Galwan Valley clash in Ladakh.
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Among the 1,200 torch-bearers part of the event in Beijing, was Qi Fabao, a regiment commander in the People's Liberation Army, as per Chinese media. He was reportedly felicitated by the Chinese military after suffering a head injury in the Galwan clash.
In June 2020, at least 20 Indian soldiers, and an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers died during clashes in Ladakh. The fighting broke out after Chinese forces committed aggression along the disputed border called the Line of Actual Control.
The tension still persists although de-escalation has occurred in some key spots following military-level talks between India and China.
Beijing has been keeping the Galwan incident in the spotlight, amid President Xi Jinping's attempt to enter the league of historic leaders like Mao Zedong by expanding China's physical and economic footprint across the globe.
Recently, Chinese state media had reportedly aired a documentary on soldiers deployed along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. In July 2021, Jinping had reportedly bestowed the Communist Party's July 1 medal on a soldier killed in the Galwan clash.