China's role in setting up Gwadar (Arabian Sea port in Pakistan) as a deepwater cargo port and naval base is significant. China intends to transport its oil from Gwadar to Karakoram Corridor (PoK) thereby linking China to Arabian Sea. The Bugti tribes put an obstacle when they killed two Chinese engineers in 2004. Based off China's direction Gen.Musharaff eliminated the Bugti leadership using helicopter gunships. When Chinese nationals were kidnapped in Islamabad by Lal Masjid activists for running brothels, China pressured Gen. Musharaff again. Actions were swift. Lal Masjid leadership was eliminated. As if on cue two Chinese engineers were killed in NWFP this week.
In return China takes care of Pakistan's interests. How? India and China are talking to each other on the border issue for 26 years since 1981. China has little or no inclination to settle its border dispute with India. If it does, it puts pressure on Pakistan -- a "third party whose interests China cannot disregard" (as a Chinese official admitted at a "track 2" dialogue in Beijing). As such the entire 4,000-km with India is in dispute. The LeT was banned as a terrorist organization by the UN. LeT was regrouped as Jamaat ud Dawa in Pakistan. The US moved to ban it again. China promptly threatened a veto in the UN and stalled it. Sooner or later the full force of Islamic terrorism will be felt in China's Xinkiang bordering Central Asia. Pakistan can not hold the lid for long.
RE:And China forces Musharaff NOT to act too
by Mathews CI on Jul 12, 2007 10:00 AM Permalink
Hello Srikant, That was an appropriate summing up of the prevailing scenario in this part of the subcontinent.The stakes are rather high in this region for all the players.Given the propensity to mutually mistrust, and sometimes rightly so,there doesnt seem to be light at the end of this tunnel, at least not in the near future.History also plays a major role in this distrusting matrix.However, Economics combined with a globally looking out youth, could prove to be a restraining factor in times to come. 2. Time and again it has been proven that emotionally charged moments in the diaspora have resulted in undoing years of diplomatic negotiations.That has always proven to be the bane of all constructive parlays in this region . China, with its single party rule has the decisive edge over pakistan and india when it comes to taking radical and pragmatic decisions.With internal dynamics being what they are in pak and india , the leadership ( whichever kind)inevitably feels constrained to take decisions which could resolve imbroglios we face . Yes, China too will face the islamic juggernaut sooner or later , but unlike the indecisive polity in india and pakistan , iam sure they do have a blueprint in place to tackle the issue when it rears its head enough to trouble the leadership. 3.This said ,radicalisation of any religion has always manifested in shaking up the world order throughout history.Its a process of evolution , it will happen.How to reduce the accompanying vagaries i
