The Government on Friday confirmed a top officer of People’s liberation Army (PlA), Xu Qiliang, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Chairman of China’s Military Commission, inspected the troops of the PlA and the People’s Armed Police Force “in Xinjiang and Tibet in July 2014”, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in a written reply in lok Sabha.
He said Xu was reported to have also visited troop units in Hotan, Ali and lhasa areas.“The Government has seen media reports appearing in China which suggest that Xu Qiliang, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Chairman of China’s Military Commission, inspected the troops of the PlA and the People’s Armed Police Force in Xinjiang and Tibet in July 2014,” Parrikar stated.He said Xu was reported to have also visited troop units in Hotan, Ali and lhasa areas.
The minister was responding to a question whether the top- ranking official carried out a “rare inspection” of troops at two sites “that have been at the centre of recent differences over incursion incidents”.
To another question, the Minister said the Indian Air Force has issued an advisory asking its personnel to refrain from using certain models of Chinese Xiaomi mobile devices.
The advisory issued in August was based on the findings of the IAF’s Computer Emergency Response Team, he said.
Parrikar said of the 3,410 km of border roads planned along Sino-Indian border to be completed by 2012, 17 road lengths of 590 km have been completed. Four strategic railway line projects are also prioritised for final location survey.
To a question on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Minister said 23 companies have been issued licences to manufacture UAVs and their parts and accessories.