Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: “This is Life,” remarked China when India strongly objected to the docking of a Chinese ship in Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Broke and politically paralyzed, Sri Lanka was in no position to stop the Dragon’s arrival on its coast.
According to media reports, the Dragon is also readying to deploy troops in Pakistan.
Some weeks ago, China had demanded the stationing of its troops in Pakistan, ostensibly to protect its incomplete USD 62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from alleged Baluch terrorist attacks.
Beijing has also been cozying up with the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan with the same purpose and is trying to enroll the terror-infested country into its ultra-ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Not only in South Asia, but China is trying to expand its influence to Central Asia through the Pakistan-Afghanistan route and has made strategic investments in the two unstable and volatile terror-infested nations.
On Tuesday, a Chinese “research” ship, equipped to track satellites and intercontinental missiles, docked at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port amid snooping concerns expressed by India.
Burdened with Chinese investments, Pakistan largely depends on its so-called “all-weather ally,” not only for financial but also military and diplomatic support. With this huge imbalance of power in its favor, China is arm-twisting Pakistan to allow the building of military outposts where it would station its armed personnel.
According to media reports, which quoted top diplomatic and security sources in Islamabad, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is working on a war footing to establish military outposts in Afghanistan and Pakistan for what it claims would be smoother operations and expansion of its BRI.
China’s Ambassador Nong Ron recently met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, and Chief of Army General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Ambassador Rong, who was not seen in Pakistan since the end of March 2022, recently returned to Islamabad. During his first formal meeting with the new government, which came to power in April, he is reported to have demanded the creation of outposts for Chinese forces.
China has demanded security outposts in Gwadar and also pressed for using the Gwadar International Airport for its fighter jets. The recently fenced facility, which can be used for military purposes, may become operational soon.
Beijing is also worried that Uyghur Muslim extremists of Xinjiang may have collaborated with Balochi groups and the TTP to undermine the CPEC, a reason why it is trying to enroll Kabul in the BRI amid persistent Baluch attacks on Chinese interests and workers.
Pakistan, which has to pay 300 billion Pakistani rupees to Chinese firms, is reeling under Chinese companies’ arm-twisting as they have threatened to shut down power plants if their huge dues remained unpaid.
Islamabad is now stuck in a Catch-22 situation because of the Chinese debt-trap diplomacy, while Beijing constantly reminds Islamabad it no longer trusts the Pakistani security apparatus.