The famous transcendentalist RW Emerson once spoke about friendship,
“The only way to have a friend is to be one”.
Yet, it has been smeared with politics.
It’s about the third largest global power on an endeavour to seek friendship by displaying all the required attributes, quid pro quo, a friend with benefits who itself depends on the mercy of funds. Quite a vicious circle!
Avoiding circumlocutions, it’s easier to talk of the mendacious and pretentious bond between China and Pakistan, solely based on extracting the best for one via the other.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that China invests in Pakistan and keeps on blocking the designation of Azhar in UNSC as a global terrorist.”
Then comes the interrogation, WHY?
China blocking the designation of Azhar for the 4th consecutive time was mostly expected. It makes India discern what China wants to reflect by putting the ‘China block’ yet again and going against the consensus which is for a global cause.
Let’s have a look at the irony attached with this present crisis:
HEADLINE 1: China strongly condemns the Pulwama blasts citing JeM as the perpetrator.
HEADLINE 2: China blocks the designation of JeM chief as a global terrorist.
What can be possibly made out of it? What is the conflict? Are they living in delusions? Well…
In a nutshell, Pakistan is their ‘strategic weapon’ which probably fulfills their dream of annexation which is supposedly to be achieved by the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
This monster has many names. Be it the New Silk Road or ‘the one belt one road’, it is perceived as a threat to Indian security. CPEC is an economic investment that can rise Pakistan’s GDP by 5% and can help China to connect and trade with the Middle East.
Why India Is Against It?
This economic alliance poses a grave threat to the security of India. This corridor passes through the Indian administered Gilgit-Baltistan region of POK and the construction of CPEC has full potential to thwart the sovereignty of India. The possible consequence is not just trespassing by Pakistan – but it may result in China acquiring a double border position, the first being Doklam. While China and Pakistan move together in a bond of mutual development, India has legit reasons to worry about.
After garnering the consensus of the permanent and non-permanent cosponsors on the Azhar designation India failed by the ‘China block’. It is evident that this chain of events can lead to a permanent future fixture of the current stand adopted by China.
What Can India Do?
A ray of hope recently sparked when France initiated an arms freeze and proposed to put Azhar on the European Union list of terrorists. However, India can hope for similar proposals and continue putting pressure on Pakistan to stop its indirect engagement with JeM.
But in the meantime a serious weakening of the Wuhan ties is discernible.