Page 11 - The Indian EYE 053025

OPINION MAY 30, 2025 | The Indian Eye 11

support for “Pakistan in safeguarding
its national sovereignty and digni-
ty”. He acknowledged that “Pakistan
stands at the forefront of the interna-
tional fight against terrorism and has
made important contributions to the
counter-terrorism efforts, and China
supports Pakistan’s continued firm
counter-terrorism actions”.

CHINESE OFFICIAL MEDIA
A
perusal of the news stories
published by Xinhua, and
re-circulated by China Dai-
ly, during the period under review
revealed a subtle sympathy for Paki-
stan but no overtly hostile overtones
towards India. Although they gave
space to Indian statements, neverthe-
less they appeared to be giving more
coverage to the statements and claims
by Pakistan regarding civilian damag- Wang Yi assured Dar of China’s support for “Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty and dignity” (File photo)
es Indian military action caused on
their side and also military losses the
Pakistanis claimed to have inflicted the context of state-supported inter- fight against terrorism, separatism Pakistan a precondition of normal In-
on India. This may have been partly national terrorism. Any evidence to and religious extremism in its western dia–China relations. While India has
because the Pakistani sources prob- prove state complicity in international hinterlands and to seek international conveyed its anguish about China’s
ably spoke more to attract interna- terror cases would be largely circum- cooperation towards this. However, military cooperation with Pakistan, it
tional attention and sympathy under stantial and comprised of intelligence although its approach and attitude to- was always clear that it cannot control
India’s deadly punitive strikes. intercepts only. wards terrorism faced by India is dis- Beijing’s actions. Deep security and
The headlines in some news re- Previously, China repeatedly appointing, it is not surprising. This military relations with Pakistan are
ports, particularly concerning Paki- demonstrated this unreasonable ap- disappointment has been longstand- in the fundamentals of China’s realist
stani claims of military losses India proach in blocking India’s repeated ing, and is in-built into India’s strate- understanding of maintaining a bal-
suffered at their hand, were present- demands in the UNSC 1267 Sanc- gic calculations of the China–Pakistan ance of power in South Asia.
ed in the form of plain statements tions Committee to sanction Paki- strategic nexus. The present Chinese Thus, the present situation is
without any attribution, even though stan-based terrorists Masood Azhar attitude only reminds us of the peren- complex and requires a balanced as-
they were lifted from Pakistani state- and others. Further, calling Pakistan nial strategic challenge of the China– sessment. Replicating extreme de-
ments (incidentally, in one instance a victim of terrorism and lauding its Pakistan nexus to India’s security. mands made on social media and
they used a report by The Hindu, efforts to combat terrorism amounts Yet, this is not reason enough to op-eds in response to the Chinese
an Indian newspaper). There were to ignoring its own complicity in mid- let the normalisation momentum in statements and directly or indirectly
some exceptions, when the headlines wifing terrorism. India–China relations be derailed. casting aspersions on India’s efforts
made it clear that the claim was Pa- Additionally, its foreign ministry One should underline that China to rebuild trust with China is unwar-
kistan’s. More valuable to note here statements did not appear keen to found India’s punitive military strikes ranted. Striving to glean some dra-
is the phraseology: “a guerilla war has separate terrorism from the broader “regrettable”, which is a much milder matic ‘facts’ warning India about an
been going on between militants and Kashmir issue. Its unclear references word than outright condemnation in imminent ‘two front war’ is even more
Indian troops stationed in the region to the “political settlement” of prob- the international diplomatic lexicon. pointless. In commenting on China’s
since 1989”. This is from the report on lems in the given context can only be Besides, China confirmed the open- response, one should not overhype it.
the terrorist attack on 22 April, which an allusion to the Kashmir issue. The ing of Mansarovar Yatra, a pending
Xinhua published the same day. China Daily’s description that “a gue- issue in the normalisation process, on Dr. Prashant Kumar Singh follows the
rilla war has been going on between 28 April amid rising India–Pakistan strategic and domestic affairs of China.
ANALYSING THE OFFICIAL militants and Indian troops stationed tensions, noting that “this year marks He is also a keen follower of state and so-
RESPONSES in the region since 1989” reveals the 75th anniversary of China-India ciety in Taiwan. And he has a deep inter-
that its basic understanding about diplomatic ties” and “China stands est in India’s engagement with East Asia.
t is clear that China did not con- the Kashmir issue has probably not ready to work with India to earnest- His current research project is “Foreign
sider the terrorist attack in Pa- moved from the Maoist days when ly implement the important common Relations and Security in Xi Jinping’s
Ihalgam as the first strike in a they saw a national struggle there. understandings between the leaders Chinese Dream”. Dr. Singh joined the
spiral of escalation. By demanding of the two countries and advance MP-IDSA in 2009
so-called “fair and just investigation”, CONCLUSION China-India relations on the track of The full version of this article first ap-
it obliquely conveyed that it was not sound and stable development”. The peared in the Comments section of the
convinced (or unwilling to accept) hina’s understanding of the two instances taken together under- website (www.idsa.in) of Manohar Par-
Pakistan’s hand in the ghastly event. Kashmir issue, Pakistan’s role line that China is willing to pursue rikar Institute for Defence Studies and
This demand basically harked back to Cin terrorism there and its ha- good relations with India without sac- Analyses, New Delhi, on May 21, 2025
its old demands for ‘evidence’ in simi- bitual insensitivity to the plight of In- rificing them entirely on the altar of
lar cases previously. Till date, it is un- dians victimised by that terrorism is Sino-Pak ties. Views expressed are of the author and
clear what they mean by “evidence”, disappointing. It is even more disap- One should understand that no do not necessarily reflect the views of
and what constitutes ‘convincing pointing considering that it leaves no government in India has ever made the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
evidence’ in their jurisprudence in stone unturned to highlight its own a disconnection between China and Government of India.

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