The People’s Liberation Army conducted live-fire exercises in Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous region, state-run China Central Television reported. The drills, which continued for 11 hours on July 14 near the Arunachal Pradesh border, come amid standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops at the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector.

In the video, PLA soldiers are seen using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy enemy planes. The live-fire exercises included the troops’ quick delivery, use of anti-tank grenades and missiles.

The brigade involved in the drills was from the PLA’s Tibet Military Command and happens to be one of China’s two plateau mountain brigades, CCTV reported. The drills were held in the Tibet Autonomous Region around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra river – the Yarlung Zangbo river in Chinese. It flows through China, India and Bangladesh.

The Sikkim standoff

India and China are currently locked in a diplomatic standoff. Both nations have maintained that troops from the other country had transgressed into their territory in the Sikkim sector’s Doklam area.

Bilateral ties have been strained since the Indian Army stopped China from constructing a road in the region. New Delhi has made it clear that it will not allow China to construct a motorable road up to the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction through the Doklam plateau.