Wang Yi, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Minister, called his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq dar on April 27. Furthermore, Wang said: “As a friend of Tik and a strategic partner of all-weather, China fully understands Pakistan’s legitimate security issues and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests…China advocates a swift and fair investigation and believes that the conflict does not detriment to the fundamental interests of India and pakistan and its rulers and their rule to rule.
In other words, China wants to conduct any action against terrorists or their supporters, but send support to Pakistan’s actions. The Pakistani Prime Minister also called on “neutral” observers to investigate the Pahargam attack. Of course, he did not say what happened to the earlier investigation into the Pathankot terrorist attack in 2016, when India invited Pakistanis to investigate.
In China, the request for a “quick investigation” of the Pahalgam attack clearly demonstrates the double standard. When the Covid pandemic spread around the world, killing more than 7 million people worldwide, the Australian government led the way in April 2020, proposing an international independent and comprehensive investigation into the origins and spread of the epidemic. Rather than allowing any investigation, including Beijing’s ban on trade with Canberra. So far, no prompt or fair investigation has been allowed on this issue.
China said it was a victim of terrorism and cited the July 5, 2009 incident in Urumqi, Xinjiang, when 189 people died, 816 injured and 261 burned. Beijing seeks international support on this issue, especially in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries. At that time, Abdul strengthened the then-Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman said: “We are committed to not allowing any element of Pakistan to violate China’s interests because China’s interests are Pakistan’s interests. We do not allow any activity that harms China’s interests.” Ironically, today, China is also facing the threat of terrorism from Pakistan. It is estimated that 32 Chinese citizens in Pakistan have been killed in 14 different incidents over the past few years – the highest Chinese casualties in Pakistan. By contrast, luckily, the declaration of terrorism in India was not killed. For safety reasons, most Chinese living in Pakistan move to armored personnel carriers. However, China ignores all logic and supports Pakistan’s opposition to India.
When it comes to terrorism, packaged under its “three evils” constructs (including separatism, extremism and decentralism), the neighbors of Chinese cajol cajol beef surrender and hand over the suspects – mainly Vigels or Tibetans.
For example, China has put pressure on the Taliban to curb the existence of Vigor in Al Qaeda/Islamic State operations in Afghanistan. Similarly, China has put pressure on Pakistani intelligence agency ISI to hand over to Rashid, an activist in eastern Turkey in March 2002.
Chinese officers even went to Syria to carry out counter-terrorism operations against the Vigels who joined the ISIS. The Chinese people’s armed police force personnel frequently invade Nepal – with Nepal’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Tibetan refugees crossed the border. But now, China does not want to allow India to take counter-terrorism measures.
Wang’s intervention is to support Islamabad’s downplayed international image. Over the past decade, China has defended PAK-based terrorists in the UN Al Qaeda (Un#1267 al-Qaeda Counter-Terrorism Committee), such as Masood Azhar, Zakir-ul-Rehman and others, suggesting that India has insufficient evidence regarding these terrorists. Coincidentally, China and Pakistan’s current arguments about “lack of evidence on the Pahalgam attack” are similar. Therefore, any Chinese actions against PAK-based terrorists have stalled. Until the other four members saw it through Beijing’s design, they decided to announce such terrorists.
The phone call from Wang to his Pakistani colleagues was also to distract New Delhi. Since 2009, the Indian Armed Forces have begun to focus on Pakistan, but rather on major changes in its strategy. This leads to questioning China’s temporary attacks on the border and leading to border events such as Depsang Plains in 2013, Chumar in 2014, Barahoti in 2016, Dokhlam in 2017, and Galwan in 2020.
If there is a military skirmish in India-Pakistan, China’s role will be crucial as it has provided 60% of weapons exports to Pakistan, in addition to Beijing’s nuclear and ballistic missile cooperation with Pakistan, it can also prevent India, even if China understands the cost of such support.
Therefore, China’s intention to cover up Pakistan’s terrorism is to provide moral and significant support, including in the UN Security Council debate on terrorism, the balance of India and the normalization process with India.
(Srikanth Kondapalli is a professor of Chinese Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University)
