Kashmir with its 86000 square miles area, a population of 13 million people, located in the Himalayas, and the origin of several rivers is unparalleled in its beauty, natural reserves, and strategic vitality. 45% of Kashmir is under Indian brutal occupation while 35% of Kashmir is under Pakistani control and China occupies 20% of Kashmir. Kashmir, the earthly heaven is under Indian evil shadow and the Indian Dracula has long been quenching its bloody thirst with Kashmiri blood.
The emerging superpower China has great concerns over Kashmir. China considers India as an archrival in the region due to Indian malicious dreams of Asian supremacy and world military power. Chinese interests in Kashmir are purely strategic and energy-related. The Indian policy of confrontation and subjugation has brought China and Russia closer to Pakistan.
China is not adopting an aggressive stance on Kashmir, as it wants smooth relations with all Asian states. Kashmir is a triangular conflict between Pakistan, China, and India.
Sitting in opposite camps
Kashmir carries vital strategic significance in the region. Asian rivalry is anticipated to destroy world peace and security if Kashmir the nuclear flashpoint is not resolved. China shares its border with Kashmir and it also occupies one-fifth part of that territory. The two world powers the US and China are strengthening their hold in South Asia. The US wants to strengthen India to confront China with the help of Israel while China is supporting Pakistan to maintain the balance of power in the region to avoid some drastic situation, which could shatter the very core of peace in Asia.
Chinese Kashmir policy can be observed under some crucial events. In 2009 China first officially invited Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the leader, and president of All Parties Hurriyat Conference. This event internationalized the Kashmir issue and it is also an indicator that China has great concerns regarding the Kashmir issue. During the same year, China adopted a separate visa policy for Indian-occupied Kashmiris while no such policy was adopted for Azad Kashmir. This explicitly reflects the official Chinese stand on Kashmir. China refused to issue a visa to the head of Indian Army Northern Command serving as Lt. Gen B S Jaswal.
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China is the giant investor of trillions of dollars in various energy and power generation projects in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. The Chinese interests in the region are closely connected with Kashmir. The Silk Route, which allows China to maintain a preferable military position over India, passes through Kashmir as well. China can smoothly attack India knee-deep through Gilgit Baltistan. The Siachen Glacier is also very significant for China from a strategic point of view.
China’s ever-changing policies on Kashmir
In the future, China can create a greater and powerful force against Indian designs in collaboration with Pakistan. China being the world’s fastest-growing economic power, requires natural reserves to maintain its position and Kashmir can play a crucial role in this regard. Initially, China was following natural policy over Kashmir, but the Hindu mindset compelled China to align with Pakistan over the Kashmir issue as it was in the best interests of both.
China has played a vital role in normalizing tensions between the two archrivals after its nuclear tests. Chinese policies on Kashmir have been changing. China has adopted at least six major policies over Kashmir. Indo-China brought a clear shift in Chinese policy on Kashmir and it aligned itself with Pakistan.
Kashmir carries vital strategic significance in the region. Asian rivalry is anticipated to destroy world peace and security if Kashmir the nuclear flashpoint is not resolved.
There was a sudden shift in Chinese policy regarding Kashmir during the 80s when China reconsidered relations with India. China supported the settlement of Kashmir according to the Shimla Accord but the Hindu ideology can no longer remain unclear to China and it reshifted to its previous policy. There occurred no change in Chinese Kashmir policy after 9/11. After 2002 the ten tensions between Pakistan and India, China announced its clear-cut official stance on the Kashmir issue through a dialogue process.
Asia’s Bermuda triangle
China is following its Kashmir policy on five fundamental principles. China favors peaceful solutions to the bone of contention. China is not adopting an aggressive stance on Kashmir, as it wants smooth relations with all Asian states. Kashmir is a triangular conflict between Pakistan, China, and India.
China can offer certain incentives to India for the resolution of the Kashmir issue as it is the peaceful emerging economic power of the world in the 21st century. China can help India out in securing a seat in UNSC, it can help her out in technology and oil exploration and it can also help India in supporting certain regional and international organizations.
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CPEC is the crucial initiative in this regard which has its projects in Azad Kashmir. China also wants to minimize European markets in South Asian regions to boost up its market in South Asia, the Middle East, and then penetrate in other parts of the world. China can be called a cool economic intruder in the 21st century. India has cut a sorry finger after skirmishes with China.
The author is an English professor and a freelance columnist. The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.