【明報專訊】AMILITARY border clash between China and India that is the most serious in half a century has resulted in heavy casualties. Both sides have accused the other side's soldiers of crossing the border. The border dispute between the two countries is a long-standing one. In recent years, New Delhi's attempts to tighten its control over India-administered Kashmir have got on the nerves of Pakistan and China. Moves by all sides to reinforce border control have subsequently increased the risks of accidental conflicts. However, at present both China and India have to concentrate their effort on fighting the pandemic and boosting the economy. An escalation of border conflicts will do no good to either of them. Geopolitics has also been involved in the intensifying Sino-US struggle amid the pandemic, and different countries and regions have their different calculations. More and more sensitive arrangements or moves might be made to test the other side's bottom line. From Sino-Indian border clashes to higher tensions between South Korea and North Korea, conflicts have heightened in the hotspots of Asia one after another. One needs to watch closely whether this will become a trend.