The Trans-Karakoram Valley: Small Civilizational Corridor Is China’s Base to a Larger Geo-Political Game, Analysts Say

[series_posts_list][/series_posts_list][series_posts_list][/series_posts_list]In the second part of our series on China’s moves to capture resources along the Indian frontier, we focus on the Trans-Karakoram Tract, also known as the Shaksgam Valley—its history, strategic significance, and foremost, the tensions brought about by its contested status between India and China. A desolate, arid region high in the Trans-Himalayas is now an unlikely pawn in the geopolitical struggle between China and India.  The Trans-Karakoram Tract is a narrow stretch of land roughly the size of Puerto Rico, sandwiched between South and Central Asia. The distinct geography of the high-altitude region is an intricate mesh of towering peaks, massive glaciers, glacier-fed rivers, and deep gorges. ...