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Military outpost: Adding/improving reference(s) - adding the new source from the talk page

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Tianwendian
| native_name = 天文点
| native_name_lang = zh
| settlement_type = border outpost
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| etymology =
| nickname =
| image_map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Kashmir#China Xinjiang#India Ladakh
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{Coord|35.331|N|78.179|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name =
| subdivision_type1 =
| subdivision_name1 =
| subdivision_type2 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| elevation_m = 5171.2
| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{cite book|last1=Baiping|first1=Zhang|title=Mountain Geoecology and Sustainable Development of the Tibetan Plateau|chapter=Kunlun Mountains Region|series=GeoJournal Library|volume=57|year=2000|pages=349–372|issn=0924-5499|doi=10.1007/978-94-010-0965-2_17|isbn=978-94-010-3800-3|quote=Tianwendian (5171.2 m)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
| title = 海拔5170米天文点官兵扎根奉献
| work = [[Xinwen Lianbo]]
| publisher = [[CCTV-13]]
| date = 2013-12-22
| access-date = 30 December 2019
| url = http://tv.cntv.cn/video/C10437/80cf397f8cdb43ed90d971e5c33a7d89
| quote = 海拔5170米天文点官兵扎根奉献
}}</ref>
| website = 
}}
{{Chinese
|s={{linktext|天文点}}
|t={{linktext|天文點}}
|w=Tʻien2-wên2-tien3
|p=Tiānwéndiǎn
|l=astronomical point
}}
'''Tianwendian''' ({{zh|c={{linktext|天文点}}|l=astronomical point}}) is the location of a [[China|Chinese]] [[border outpost]] in the disputed [[Aksai Chin]] region controlled by China (as part of [[Hotan County]], [[Hotan Prefecture]], [[Xinjiang]]).<ref name="dimaoqihou">{{cite web|url=https://www.htx.gov.cn/article/show.php?itemid=81|script-title=zh:地貌气候|language=zh-hans|date=29 April 2019|access-date=23 December 2019|website={{lang|zh-hans|和田县政府门户网站}}|quote={{lang|zh-hans|海拔5 000米以上的天文点、空喀山口一带，}}}}</ref> It is in the [[Chip Chap River]] valley, north of [[Depsang Plains]], close to China's [[Line of Actual Control]] with India.

==Military outpost==
China originally established a military outpost in 1959 at ''Point 5243'' ({{zh|c=5243哨卡}}), which is at an elevation of 5243 meters above sea level.<ref>
[https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3519365380#map=18/35.30553/78.30475&layers=C Point 5243], OpenStreetMap, retrieved 17 December 2020.
</ref><ref name=Sandhu>
{{Cite book |last1=Sandhu |first1=P. J. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=boBNCgAAQBAJ&q=Tianwendian |title=1962: A View from the Other Side of the Hill |last2=Shankar |first2=Vinay |last3=Dwivedi |first3=G. G. |date=2015-08-06 |publisher=Vij Books India Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-93-84464-37-0 |pages=44–46 |language=en}}
</ref><ref name="Rajendra Nath">
{{Cite book |last=Nath |first=Rajendra |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sEYKDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT188 |title=Strategic Ladakh: A Historical Narrative 1951-53 and a Military Perspective |date=2016-11-10 |publisher=Vij Books India Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-93-85563-50-8 |language=en |chapter=12}}
</ref><ref>
{{Cite web
| title = 那些年，我在中印边界的坚守
| author = 分享至
| publisher = Sina
| date = 2018-05-28
| access-date = 16 December 2020
| url = http://chinanews.sina.com/gb/chnlocal/phoenixtv/2018-05-28/doc-ixfzaqra8953944.shtml
| quote = 总卡5243哨卡...我们天防区的总卡叫5243，海拔高度就是5243米，是天防区最低的哨卡
}}</ref>
It was composed of a [[Company (military unit)|border company]].<ref>{{Cite web
| title = 守防在昆仑之巅记新疆军区某边防团天文点边防连
| author = 陈杰
| editor = 王建民
| publisher = [[Xinhua News]]
| date = 2013-12-19
| access-date = 14 December 2019
| url = http://photo.china.com.cn/2013-12/19/content_30939053.htm
| language = zh
| quote = 天文点边防连组建于1959年。[The Astronomical Point Border Defense Company was established in 1959.]
}}
</ref><ref>
{{citation |title=Zǒng zhèngzhì bùxià fā tōngzhī yāoqiú quán jūn hé wǔjǐng bùduì rènzhēn xuéxí tiānwén diǎn biānfáng lián shìjì jīngyàn dàlì hóngyáng wǒ jūn guānbīng yīzhì yōuliáng chuántǒng |script-title=zh:总政治部下发通知要求全军和武警部队认真学习天文点边防连事迹经验大力弘扬我军官兵一致优良传统 |trans-title=The General Political Department issued a notice requesting the whole army and the armed police forces: Earnestly learn from the deeds and experience of the Astronomical Point Border Defense Company, and vigorously promote the consistent fine traditions of our military officers and soldiers |newspaper=PLA Daily |via=cpc.people.com.cn |date=14 July 2014 |url=http://cpc.people.com.cn/n/2014/0714/c83083-25277557.html |quote=The astronomical point border defense company of a regiment of the Xinjiang Military Region was established in 1959 and is stationed in a life restricted zone at an altitude of 5,170 meters.}}
</ref>
In the run up to the [[Sino-Indian War|1962 war]], China called the entire area ''Tianwendian Defence Area'' and used the Point 5243 post as its headquarters.<ref name=Sandhu/><ref name="Rajendra Nath"/>

The newer Tianwendian post was established after the 1962 war. China said it was an astronomical observatory. A few years later India realised that it was an not an observatory but a military post. Over the years, China has continued to expand the post.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Bhat|first=Col Vinayak|date=25 June 2020|title=New radar, water pipelines: Satellite images decode Chinese troop movement in Ladakh's Depsang|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/new-radar-water-pipelines-satellite-images-decode-chinese-troop-movement-in-ladakh-s-depsang-1692718-2020-06-25|access-date=2020-09-29|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref>

Around the time of the [[2013 Daulat Beg Oldi incident]], PLA constructed a radar station, a 11 m [[radome]] at an elevation of 5530m, at this outpost.<ref>{{Cite web
| title = China's string of radars in Ladakh track every move of Indian Army – ThePrint
| first = Vinayak
| last =Bhat
| work = ThePrint
| date = 25 August 2017
| access-date = 5 January 2020
| url = https://theprint.in/opinion/chinas-string-radars-ladakh-track-every-move-indian-army/7976/
| quote = The Depsang area came into the limelight during 2013 Daulat Beg Oldie incident when the PLA pitched tents and constructed watchtowers much higher than required. At that time, China had also constructed a huge radar on a hillock north of their post called Tianwendian.
}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

=== Forward Post 5390 ===
Between 2006 and 2008, China constructed forward post 5390 (named after the highest point in that area).<ref name=":0" />

==India-China Border Meeting point==
{{Further|Border Personnel Meeting point#Daulat Beg Oldi - Tianwendian}}
The highest of the five [[Border Personnel Meeting point]]s is located near Tianwendian. The Indian camp at [[Daulat Beg Oldi]] serves as the counter-party for this meeting point.<ref name="news18">{{cite web|url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/indian-chinese-armies-decide-to-improve-ties-at-functional-level-1184462.html|title=Indian, Chinese armies decide to improve ties at functional level|website=[[CNN-News18|News18]]|access-date=2017-09-14}}</ref>

==See also==
* {{section link|List of locations in Aksai Chin|Outposts}}
* [[Daulat Beg Oldi]]
* [[Depsang Plains]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Xinjiang-geo-stub}}

[[Category:Aksai Chin]]
[[Category:Barracks in China]]

Tianwendian - Revision history

->Kautilya3: /* Military outpost */ Adding/improving reference(s) - adding the new source from the talk page