By M S Nazki
Pak-China combination is a threat no doubt but Chinese will not enter a fray till their own interests are there! By the way Pakistan is the biggest interest as far as strategy goes! Part-II
-And we have reasons to say so!
-The China-Pakistan relationship poses a potential danger to India due to China’s extensive support of Pakistan, particularly in military and strategic terms. This includes providing advanced weaponry to Pakistan, which could be used against India.
-While some analysts argue that China’s support for Pakistan is primarily opportunistic, with China prioritizing its own strategic interests, the close ties between the two countries are a source of concern for India.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
-Military Support: China has been a key supplier of military technology and equipment to Pakistan, allowing them to modernize their armed forces. This includes advanced fighter planes, air-to-air missiles, and other defense systems.
-Strategic Alignment: China has provided political support to Pakistan on various international issues, including those related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Tibet. This alignment is a cause for concern for India, as it suggests a unified front against India’s interests.
-China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): CPEC, a major infrastructure project linking China and Pakistan, is viewed with suspicion by India, as it may further strengthen Pakistan’s position and potentially allow China to exert more influence in the region.
Water Disputes: China’s potential manipulation of the Brahmaputra River, which flows through both India and China, could be used to disrupt India’s water supply.
“All Weather Friends”: China and Pakistan consider each other “all weather friends,” indicating a high degree of mutual support and cooperation, which can be seen as a threat to India’s regional security.
“Strategic Salience”: China views Pakistan as strategically important in its dealings with India, and this view is reflected in China’s actions.
-Webster dictionary defines the word collusive as a secret agreement or cooperation especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose. A collusive behaviour involves secret or illegal cooperation between countries or organisations; hence it is co-operation characterised by secrecy and deceit for e.g., Sino–Pakistan linkage or the China and North Korea relationship.
-Beijing’s secretive ties with Islamabad have run closer than most formal alliances since decades. This collusive alliance is based on a few shared commonalities—both countries have a shared enmity with India; both opposed the action by India of revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, and China has made it clear that it doesn’t see India’s rise as being in its interests.
-Pakistan’s strategic location is seen by China as critical to its transition from a regional power to a global one and is central to China’s plans for a network of ports, pipelines, roads, railways connecting oil & gas fields of West Asia to the mega cities of East Asia.
-Its coast line serves as a crucial staging post for China’s take off as a naval power, extending its reach from the Indian Ocean to the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea.
-Penetration of Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) into global jihadi networks are vital assets as China’s gateway in the Islamic world.
-One can also argue that both countries have deep state systems. The concept of deep state points to a ‘special power configuration within a state’ that has a significant influence on the running of the statecraft, determining national security, conduct of diplomacy and foreign relations.
– China has been dominated for nearly a century by a single political party, whose leaders ruled with the help of the strong political party system and the military. Under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, China’s ‘centralisation of political and economic life,’ which includes government-run catholic churches, has progressed to the point where top-down social control tactics are being used to bury a society of many millions of people in a mass grave of cultural amnesia. This type of arbitrary power exercised by deep state actors, President Xi, CCP and Central Military Commission (CMC) is disturbing and reeks of totalitarianism.
-In the case of Pakistan, the military, the ISI, Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), and the corps commanders, form the core of a deep and powerful nexus known as the deep state. When necessary, this collegiate leadership group has been responsible for forging and breaking political coalitions, as well as fostering animosity between civilians and military forces.
China has supplied a wide range of military hardware to Pakistan, including fighter jets, tanks, missile systems, and naval vessels. These arms have been a significant part of Pakistan’s military capabilities and have played a role in recent conflicts, though their performance has also been a topic of debate.
-Key Military Equipment Supplied by China to Pakistan:
-Fighter Jets: JF-17: A joint project between China and Pakistan, Pakistan has acquired a large number of JF-17s, with various upgrades over time.
-J-10C: Pakistan has also purchased more advanced J-10C fighter jets, which were deployed in a recent conflict.
-Tanks: VT-4: Pakistan has acquired VT-4 main battle tanks, which are an upgraded version of the Al-Khalid tanks.
-Missile Systems: HQ-9 (LY-80): China has supplied HQ-9 (LY-80 export version) air defense systems, intended to protect against aerial threats.
-PL-15: Pakistan’s J-10C jets have been equipped with PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles.
-Naval Vessels: Type 054A/P frigates: China has provided Pakistan with Type 054A/P frigates for its navy. Hangor-class submarines: Pakistan also has a fleet of Hangor-class submarines, which are co-developed with China.
-Other Equipment: SH-15 howitzers: Pakistan has inducted SH-15 155mm howitzers for its artillery capabilities.
-Surveillance Platforms: China has also provided remote sensing and intelligence platforms to Pakistan.
-PRSC-EO1: A satellite, co-developed with China, to enhance remote sensing and intelligence capabilities.
China’s Strategic Role: Strategic Ally: China is Pakistan’s primary weapons supplier and a key diplomatic shield.
Deterrent: China’s arms sales to Pakistan aim to create a military balance in the region, deterring India’s military capabilities.
Dual Use: Some Chinese-supplied weapons have dual use, capable of both conventional and potentially nuclear roles.
So China is with Pakistan and that is one thing that we can safely conclude but as we earlier mentioned China will not enter a mess until and unless they have a major interest!
