The future trajectory of Sino-Pakistan relations
Sino-Pakistan relations are viewed by India not merely as a relationship between two neighbourly countries but as a relationship that is more anti-Indian and ‘military and strategic oriented’. The military-to-military contacts between the two countries, India believes, are too deep. Little doubt that such a belief is based on some solid and incrementing evidence. Had it not been for China’s military assistance, Pakistan would never have been able to militarily match Indian conventional capability. It was China that became the largest supplier of military hardware to Pakistan when the Americans imposed sanctions in the 1990s. Since then, Pakistan’s missile programme took an upward surge and the present missile-and-nuclear-capable Pakistan has a lot to do with Chinese technological assistance. Add to this the handing over of the control of Gwadar port by Pakistan to the China and the tremendous strategic leverage it gives to China vis-a-vis India, one is tempted to side with Indian concerns. Not only does the port provide an opening to China towards the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf it also gives China a view into India’s Western coast including Gujarat and Maharashtra.
It is with this backdrop that one should view the reported ‘preliminary research study’ undertaken by China to build an international rail link connecting Chinese border province of Xinjiang to Pakistan.
From India’s perspective since the railway line passes through Azad Kashmir it would promote the political and economic power status of China and Pakistan in a disputed territory and will undermine Indian standing as a party that claims the Azad Kashmir territory. Technically the construction of this railway line is considered difficult as it passes through mountains of very high altitude.
Will the construction of such a railway line usher a new era of economic resurgence and prosperity in the region? How far would the functioning of this railway line damage Indian interest? These are some of the pertinent and essential questions that are being asked by those who consider the commissioning of this railway line as an important game-changer in future.
The few Chinese ‘Kashmir-specific actions’ in the past are the reason that Indians feel little assured about the true nature of Chinese intentions in the construction of this railway line. China, to the utter dislike of the Indians in 2008, started giving stapled visas to the people from Jammu and Kashmir clearly suggesting that it considered Kashmir to be under Indian occupation as a disputed territory. In September 2010, it even refused visa to Lt Gen Jaswal, the commander of Indian Army’s Northern Command, on the grounds that the officer was commanding troops in a disputed area. Lately, it has shown Arunchal Pradesh as its own territory in the latest published maps to which the government of India has officially protested. China even extended an invitation to Mirwaiz Farooq to visit China in a cold reminder to India of what China can also do if the Indians don’t abstain from interfering in matters related to Tibet.
After the American announcement of the ‘Asia-Pacific Pivot’ the linkage of Northern China with the Pakistani port city of Gwadar through this railway line is of immense strategic and military importance to China. It enhances the great power status of China which, through the Gwadar port seeks direct access to the Arabian Sea and resultant strategic upper hand against both the US and Indian navies in the Indian Ocean. Currently, 80 per cent of the Chinese imported oil travels through the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca. Considering that China is world’s second largest oil consumer and the largest oil importer it needs to ensure that the oil supply from Gulf continues into mainland China without going around India and even if its enemies carry out a naval blockade of its oil supplies at the sea. More than anything else the rail link through the Gwadar port to mainland China is a loss of strategic upper hand to the Indians and the Americans in the Arabian Sea.
For Pakistan, both the military and economic benefits of this railway line are tremendous. It can construct and logistically support defence structures all along the railway line in Azad Kashmir. It will create thousands of jobs and economic activity and will go a long way in accommodating the aggrieved Baloch nationalists in the mainstream Pakistan. Islamabad after the commissioning of this railway line could actually emerge as the regional hub of economic activity.
There will also be huge obstacles and challenges for both Beijing and Islamabad to materialise this mega project. Security challenges to the line infrastructure and the personal security of Chinese construction engineers will be the most important concern. The Baloch separatists opposition with the support of their external benefactors may also not want its commissioning in Balochistan. India would not want the military leverage this railway line will give to Pakistan in quick mobilisation and transportation of its military along the border between India and Pakistan.
We know that Asia-Pacific region is on the threshold of a change. The China-Pakistan railway line in the end with all its known and unknown challenges and uncertainties is a project the completion of which will enhance Pakistan’s economic stature in the coming wave of Asia-Pacific future of which Pakistan must figure out as an essential part.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 1st, 2014.
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@GS@Y: Just to remind you that the learned Mr.Rex Minor has said "As a child I learnt that once an Indian learns to read, he will read everything he can lay his hands on" Are you barred from reading People's Daily of China or Guardian of England?
@Gp65: Rex Minor has openly admitted one truth "As a child I learnt that once an Indian learns to read, he will read everything he can lay his hands on" so you understand the implications. Dont' you?
@Rex Minor: Another irrelevant rant
@Rex Minor
What does that fact has to do with the article? In recent years both India and China are mentioned in many countries foreign relationship articles. That is because their economic interests depend directly upon them, referring them to as the largest markets and economic powers. It can be said 50% correct in China-Pak relations. You must accept(to the least within yourself) that if no "hatred for India" then "no investment or aid from China". Say in a decade, China and India settle their differences just more than half, how will it be for the future? The main truce the west and Pak don't want to happen.
@ajaath: I agree this ratio does not reflect the reality. Every ssixth in the world is an Indian.
Rex Minor
Title of article is "The future trajectory of Sino-Pakistan relations" - Where India(indians) were mentioned 31 times; China was @ 23 and Pakistan @ 21. Please read: http://thediplomat.com/2014/07/pakistan-and-china-a-precarious-friendship/
Whenever I read about China Pakistan relations it all ways reminds me of the days when the French, Portuguese and British had entered the politics of Indian subcontinent. Most of the powerful Indian Kings fell in their traps and were competing with each other to win their protection. Slowly Britishers convinced these Indian Kings to surrender their security concerns to them. In return of huge sums the British and French were maintaining armies to protect these kings against the neighboring Kings. Slowly by playing on their fears they placed their 'residents' to spy in each state & also acquired the rights to collect taxes from people. And then we all know what happened. In our case the field is the same Indian subcontinent,China and America are the traders and India Pakistan are the neighboring Kings burning with hate for each other. I warn my friends to remember the pathetic end of Kingdoms/Nawabis of Bengal (Murshidabad), Awadh (Lucknow), Holkars of Indore, Peshwas of Pune, Tipu Sultan of Mysore and the King Emperor of India the last Moughal Bhadur Shah of Delhi. In their hatred of India played by these foreign powers Pakistan may do some thing for which our future generations may repent. Brothers we are and have lived together for hundreds of years. May be we are two countries to day, (thanks to the British), but we can and should stand together.
@Mukhtar: Good thinking! After a couple of centuries, the neighbouring countries will all look like chinese; Pakistani good muslims could influence the lot to become the believers of the the God of Ibrahim.
Rex Minor
Don't know how close China is to Pakistan. But China is completely a different country in terms of culture. We (India and Pakistan) have fought wars but if in true picture we can see that more than half of the citizens of India and Pakistan have more closeness to each other than towards the Chinese. We may be enemy, but our way of living, problems we face and other standards are equal and so in this sense we are much closer.
China on the other hand is more like a hungry ferocious creature wanting to gulp down everything. Neither India nor Pakistan is a big enemy of China, but we will never be that close to these people as we are between ourselves.
How many agree, think in true sense.
Pakistan has no choice except to sit in the lap of China for its immediate military needs in view of west's changed stance. Pakistan is all out to please China to go to any extent but we should not forget that China has its own interests in the region. India is a much bigger market for any country and therefore if Pakistan thinks that they will get priority over India tantamount to living in fools paradise
It is good to conceive new projects like Railway line, it is practically most difficult area, it would require trillions of dollars.Building wider roads would be more appropriate. China does not believe in giving cash, they have a firm policy for Pakistan that is to spend aid or loan in any project under their own arrangements because of kick backs that ultimately land in Swiss Banks
Like any other country of the world, India matters a lot to Pakistan. We can not live in a state of confrontation for ever with India, we must try to negotiate a workable solution on all pending issues for the stability of Pakistan. Lesson from past, we relied on US and end result has been only disappointment. Will China be different when the balloon goes up
@Hilarious: Thanks for your kind words and you make a good point,
Hilarious: I’ve read many comments of yours in the past – and you seem an intelligent, rational human being. Can you tell me why you still respond to Rex Minor? The guy is seriously deluded " I came to this conclusion long ago when he started blabbering that a country called "India" will not exist in world map in his life time. Typical pakistani attitude from 1947 and they never learnt in 1971.
Whatever Pakistanis do in their country with assistance from whomever can give, they cannot think other than Indian angle. Such an insecure state. Unfortunately they cannot do anything on their own. If ever they do, or plan to do then the usual sindhi/punjabi politics play in eg Kalabag dam.
@Hilarious: Very good advice to GP65!! Now tell us where do the bees and wasps lay their eggs and the direction they take during flying? If you are aware of this then you would understand the reaction of GP65 to certain comments.
Rex Minor
@Gp65: Perhaps you should be addressing your note to Raj, USA, both of you are engaged in pettyfogging and involved in cacophony. You better check your narrative with him to see if he agrees with you? Why do you reckon one must either prove or justify ones opinion which meets your approval??
Rex Minor .
@Hilarious: "@gp65 I’ve read many comments of yours in the past – and you seem an intelligent, rational human being. Can you tell me why you still respond to Rex Minor? The guy is seriously deluded " How often I have wondered about this!
LOL as expected insecure indians flooding this article with their cynical non sense. Btw thanks China you have been our good friends over the years and its good to see China Pak ties getting stronger in the last 25 years or so.
@MK:
Sounds great. Care to point out where in this article a "pipeline" is mentioned? Also explain why the Chinese would spend many Billions to build a pipeline over a mountain to a region of China that has no demand for the fuel and would have to spend more Billions to build a distribution network. This imaginary pipeline has even less merit than the infamous IP which is also long on blogs and short on substance/building.
@Raj Huns: I completely second this sentiment. Express Tribune has got to start thinking about what their comments sections are turning into. Does a flood of right-wing Indians on ET pages help the quality and direction of debate? Who are the most hateful, incendiary commentators most skewing the debate and in need of moderation?
An open field without any coherent policy towards the content of comments is probably not helpful. ET is primarily a source of news about Pakistan for Pakistani and other concerned readers; should it be allowed to turn into an online forum for Pakistan-bashing for the sake of it?
@gp65
I've read many comments of yours in the past - and you seem an intelligent, rational human being. Can you tell me why you still respond to Rex Minor? The guy is seriously deluded and his comment on the 'House of Saud' is not new. Just another delusional nut living in la la land. You would be advised to ignore him altogether. Maybe the guys who keep complaining of Indians who comment here feel happy and ET feels a sort of balance is being maintained by his comments - but that's their problem...
ET Mods- you allow @Rex Minor to make unsubstantiated comments about how Saudi Arabia controls India and China ehich have nothing to do with this OpEd and you screen my attempt to respond to im factually? 2nd attempt. Please publish.
@Rex Minor: Yes, oil is an important source of energy but it is not the only source of energy and Saudi Arabia is not the only country that has oil reserves. Further while energy is necessary, so is food anwd Saudi Arabia produces none, nor does it have refineries that can make the oil in its usable forms i.e. petrol, diesel etc. So while Saudi Arabia no doubt has some leverage due to its oil, you seem to vastly overrate that. In any case you say Saudi Arabia will act if it must to protect interest of Ummah. So please tell me what it did in following instances 1) Saudi installed Taliban government in Afghanistan was being bombed by US in 2001
2) Pakistan ran to US to save its skin on Kargill after India gave a strong response to Kargill incursion and Pakistan had to declare unilateral ceasefire?
3) China is suppressing Ulghur aspirations?
4) Assad is slaughtering tens of thousands of his fellow countrymen
5) ISIS. Is brutally butchering Iraqis?
6) in Gaza?
You had also indicated a couple of months back in ET that even if Modi wins an election, he will not be allowed to set foot on US until he apoloizes to Muslims because Hpuse of Saud will not allow it. How wrong you proved?
@FactCheck: " the word Pakistan appears 23 times., China appears 21 times and India appears 31 times!!!" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ah there is the hidden trajectory!.
Can I ask why are we as pakistani always infatuated with India? What has our relationship with China got anything to do with India. China has stood by Pakistan and we do not need to consider india's feelings when it comes to implementing our internal infrastructure projects with our ally. I am in no doubt that India always has and always will have ill-feelings towards Pakistan. Please get out of the mindless infatuation with India. Whether it is TV/Film actors or sport personalities, I am just fed up of the constant mentioning of India. Please get out of India's shadow and then maybe the country will progress.
Editor, can you please ban these Indian trolls. They desecrate the space with their vile and immature commentary. Your Paper or Blog cannot be rated better with the number of hits you receive but by the quality of debate that ensues. Which for the moment is base. A serious rethink is needed. These are mostly hired hands out to destroy the credibility of your writers, and hence your Paper. Will you ever listen.
Only fools count their chicken before they are hatched. A little patience might save a lot of embarrassment later! Xinjiang-Pakistan rail connection same as castles in the air!
Pakistan's expertise in the China rail project (as China is providing everything), Pakistan will provide security(LOL) The land belongs to the Baluch's which was annexed annexed by Pakistan and still kept by force. How "secure" is Baluchistan? Pakistan cannot even protect US convoys travelling through Balochistan for which they are paid handsomely. The authors' thinking reveals the Pak Army mindset - that is, its preoccupation with India. All Pakistan will be collecting is tolls from oil shipments through this route. Pakistan could collect tolls through gas pipeline projects via Iran - definitely an environmentally safe plan.
@FactCheck: Excellent observation. That shows the Pakistanis' obsession with India.
Here is an interesting statistics: In this article on Pak-China relation, the word Pakistan appears 23 times. The word China appears 21 times. The word India appears 31 times!!!
@George:
Sounds silly! I agree but true! My car runs on fuel and I know that it becomes useless when the fuel is not available on sale. You can rely on a bicycle or a horse but I can't nor can I force you to use logic and reason in your thoughts.
Rex Minor
The author is living in dreamland. Cooperation with everyone is fine but in diplomacy there is no free lunch. Gwadar is not going to receive the kind of investments Pakistan believes it will. The unstable situation is one factor but there is another danger. India is building a blue water Navy which will give it control over the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Malacca Strait through which China's Oil moves. Putting in place a naval embargo over Gwadar or any Pakistani port if and when needed, is very possible if not probable.
Editor, there is a typo in there; Author's intro states that he, "is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Pakistan Army"... It should have instead stated, "Indian Army".
" Pakistan has always looked up to China and the friendly country has almost always responded positively to Pakistan’s needs." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The first half of this statement is 100 % correct and the latter half is 100% incorrect!.
" The future trajectory of Sino-Pakistan relations" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The author mixes up between the above title and the trajectory of the proposed railway line between Gwadar and ........ He must be a Railway Engineer!.
It's surprising that such an overwhelming number of comments on some of ET's articles such as this one are from Indian trolls and the moderator still allows this even though most of these comments have little of substance to offer.
@Rex Minor:
And by God, they will act if they must, to sfeguard the intersts of Ummah in any part of the world
Including Iran and Gaza, I presume.
Is the intervention working or what?
@Rex Minor: ''Nothing and absolute nothing progresses in China or India or in the western world. without their approval .'' Silly.
@Raj - USA: As a child I learnt that once an Indian learns to read, he will read everything he can lay his hands on. You are not only a good reader but a good writer as well and even believe in what you read!
Rex Minor
The author says China can also do if the Indians don’t abstain from interfering in matters related to Tibet but its actually the situation is otherwise.India has much more influence over Tibet than China itself.China knows pinching India can reverse India's one China policy and even start issuing staple visas to Tibetans aswell and if India openly starts supporting Tibet it will bring massive headache to China cuz Xinziang may even follow suit.If author think that Gwadar can alter balance of power against India then that is a unwise thinking look at the leagraphic location India and Arabian Sea btw way why dont hand over entire pakistan to China if pakistan is getting so much benefit out of China.The fact is both India and China knows their limit and even it is not said by the Chinese but instead said by pakistanis on behalf of China.Then off course if Gwadar is so important then why it is not given importance by China in chinese think tank,media,etc and Why China rejected the request to militarize or involve in any military activity in the Gwadar as requested from pakistan.They know very well doing so against India will have its effects seen in mainland China and SCS .
India would not want the military leverage this railway line will give to Pakistan in quick mobilisation and transportation of its military " +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sir missiles fly much faster than rail lines:).Why dont u come to the present?
" Had it not been for China’s military assistance, Pakistan would never have been able to militarily match Indian conventional capability." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Yet Pakistan lost every conventional war with India...in 1947, 1965, 1971 and Kargil Either China's hardware is no good or the Pakistani soldier......
@Manish: What you said is right but Pakistan was also never interested in those things? Pakistan is a security state who was always interested in latest weapons and that is where chinese supported Pakistan and stated by the author too on missile and nuclear technology against India.
Never able to understand Indian Muslims. They asked for Pakistan, they got it and more area then promised then why so much ant-India.
The snail’s pace at which efforts to reopen the Karakoram Highway (KKH), the sole land link between Communist China and Pakistan, are proceeding, ought to be a pointer to Pakistani’s that grandiose plans that talk about a Sino-Pakistani railway link have a large element of feel good hot air accompanying it.
It is inexplicable that if a Sino-Pakistani land link was as important as being made out by Pakistani’s then the KKH road link which was severed in October 2005 would in August 2014 continue to remain severed.
The snail’s pace at which efforts to reopen the Karakoram Highway (KKH), the sole land link between Communist China and Pakistan, are proceeding, ought to be a pointer to Pakistani’s that grandiose plans that talk about a Sino-Pakistani railway link have a large element of feel good hot air accompanying it.
It is inexplicable that if a Sino-Pakistani land link was as important as being made out by Pakistani’s, then the KKH road link which was severed in October 2005 would in August 2014 continue to remain severed.
The snail’s pace at which efforts to reopen the Karaokoram Highway (KKH), the sole land link between Communist China and Pakistan, are proceeding, ought to be a pointer to Pakistani’s that grandiose plans that talk about a Sino-Pakistani railway link have a large element of feel good hot air accompanying it.
It is inexplicable that if a Sino-Pakistani land link was as important as being made out by Pakistani’s then the KKH road link which was severed in October 2005 would in August 2014 continue to remain severed.
@Khurram Ali: China did not even give Pakistan three billion dollars when asked by Pakistan to avoid going to IMF, when China had 3000 billion reserves. So much for sweeter than honey friend.
After reading article, I had to open map to see whether Pakistan has India on all of its four sides.
@Rex Minor, Saudis cannot even defend themselves and have to recruit soldiers from abroad. How will they act to support Ummah? If they stop exporting (oil is the only commodity they export) what will they eat? They do not even have 'grass'.
Whenever in dire need, Pakistan has always looked up to China and the friendly country has almost always responded positively to Pakistan’s needs.
A. Were you in 'dire need' in 1971, when Pakistan broke into two? And how did China 'respond positively to Pakistan's needs'?
B. And was the need dire enough in 1999, when General Musharraf's lies from Beijing were recorded and published? Who did the recording and How?
For Pakistan, both the military and economic benefits of this railway line are tremendous. Islamabad after the commissioning of this railway line could actually emerge as the regional hub of economic activity.
To take advantage of the Rail Route you will need upcountry Rail Links in Pakistan too. Have you looked at the state of Pakistan Railways recently? On the other hand , by the time this happens the Indian project of extending a rail link to Kashmir will be in place. A branch line connecting to the Sino-Gwadar line will ensure that the 100 billion Sino-Indian trade will be carried out through this link. Thank You.
Meanwhile, this was also happening in Pakistan., A lot has been said and written about the new Chinese locomotives purchased by Pakistan RailwaysThe story of the purchase dates back to when Lt. General (Retired) Javaid Ashraf Qazi was Minister Railways. It was during his tenure that 69 locomotives made by Dalyon Company were purchased. Unfortunately, these turned out to be useless, but at the same time, an agreement to purchase 75 more locomotives from the same company was signed and a 50% advance payment made which was more than a billion and a half rupees. This was during the tenure of Mr. Ghulam Ahmad Bilour.
Dire Needs and Positive Response anyone? http://www.nation.com.pk/columns/03-Jun-2014/new-locomotives-and-the-truth
@Rex Minor:
Rather than going into the substance of this article, I am amazed at the thinking of the Pakistan's Army (this author is an ex officer of the Army).
Pakistan's Army is happy to give away large chunks of its land, be it in Kashmir or Gwadar and the entire land area from Gwadar to Kashgar to the Chinese. China's army is already in GB in large numbers and no Pakistani is allowed in areas where Chinese are constructing tunnels to place their missiles. Selig Harrison wrote in in NY times 4 years ago. Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/27/opinion/27iht-edharrison.html?_r=0
Similarly, Pakistanis are restricted from entering Gwadar. Musharraf had given away millions of acres of fertile land to the Arabs and these are now no-go areas for Pakistanis. UAE did not even feel that it necessary take Pakistan's permission to hand over Shamsi airbase to US. Pakistan's army is so patriotic that they give away their country to the Chinese to protect them from India!!!!!!!! They bring in talibans from all over the world to protect them from India and when the talibans turn against them they are labeled as agents of India. I will not be surprised if Pakistan's army gives away huge chunks of Pashtun area to Afghanistan in the hope that it would turn Afghanistan against India and damage India's investments there. It will be in the true spirit of Ummah too.
Regarding so called Azad Kashmir, Selig Harrison says that a revolt is going on in Gilgit and Baltistan because Sunni jihadi groups allied with Pakistan's army are terrorizing local shiite muslims. They want separation from Pakistan. Read the NY Times article referred above. This is what he says: "But if reporters could get into the Gilgit-Baltistan region and Azad Kashmir, they would find widespread, brutally-suppressed local movements for democratic rights and regional autonomy." He also says: "Pakistan’s occupation of Gilgit and Baltistan, where Sunni jihadi groups allied with the Pakistan Army have systematically terrorized the local Shiite Muslims."
More trouble is brewing in AJK. Ch. Nissar recently revoked the Parliamentary status of G-B and AJK parliamentarians and this has caused lot of resentment there. Here is the recent ET news: http://tribune.com.pk/story/737281/fueling-resentment-nisar-revokes-parliamentary-status-of-g-b-ajk-lawmakers/
Rex Minor: You say:
".....the key energy supplier for the world industry remains the House of Saud. Nothing and absolute nothing progresses in China or India or in the western world. without their approval . And by God, they will act if they must, to sfeguard the intersts of Ummah in any part of the world."
You are forgetting that the head of the House of Saud requires surgery in US to repair his backbone and make him even stand up. In any case, the House of Sauds are now helping Israel against Hamaz.
Author has totally ignored the growing India-China relations , which has been cemented after Modi became PM in BRICK summit and China's Foreign Minister visit to Delhi.
We advise pak to make the rail.India wouldnt loose anything.The Islamic world will loosr when hordes of han chinese troops reach mecca via pakistan.best of luck.
The railway line would need 200 bill$ investment.
I doubt, China would like to lay all eggs In this project. We never know, in near future China start using India as hedge to contain USA.
We Pakistani suffer with inferiority complex. Apart from nuclear weapon, missile tech and some old junk weapons; China have never helped us. They reap the maximal benefits by flooding their cheap goods. Moreover China is not a religious country and they dont have good opinion of Pakistan.
We should try to improve trade with our neighbors & use china the same way, they use us to contain India.
@Abdul Gaffar: Gwadar port sounds impressive with Chinese control but do not forget that the rail link will now travel in two hostile regions, Xingjian and Baluchistan.will china mange this and how much can Pakistan cooperate even of it has the resource.Lets wait and see.China seems to be succesful in building hostilties with neighbours from Japan and all the way to now Baluchistan.
@author:
There is a common perception that China uses Pakistan against India, the country China sees as a threat to its regional aspirations. There are hardly any other commonalities between the two - cultural, social, trade or otherwise. . Through the title, I was hoping to look beyond the perception and have a better understanding of the relationships of both the countries from Pakistan's perspective. But it turned out to be another attempt at dragging India at the helm of the affairs. Very disappointing!
Your friend is my enemy syndrome does not work quite well in international relations. As per proponents of the realist school, "nations pursue their own goals." Their foreign policy goals are determined by the geopolitical realities, national interests (both economic and military), inter major power rivalries and more important access to the markets (neorealism). Colonel sahib has taken a very optimistic approach while analyzing the Sino-Indian developments.
In colonel Sahib's colomn , there are lots of Ifs and assumes all will be well in China-Pakistan relationship in the next say twenty five years.
Right now, the relationship is good ie. higher than Himalayan mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean. I am sure hysteria state is most likely to continue.
@unbelieveable "As far as Gwadar port – why would the Chinese want to move oil using expensive railroad to a portion of China which doesn’t even have the existing infrastructure to transmit it to the end user? "
Its called a pipeline. hahaha. Another troll.
http://www.kyaukpyu.com/deep-sea-port/ . Kyaukpyu Deep Sea Port . April 6, 2014 admin Kyaukpyu Township is situated on a natural harbor which connects the rice trade between Calcutta and Yangon. In June 2007 Asia World Group, Myanmar’s largest conglomerate, announced Kyaukpyu would be the location of a new deep sea port positioning the town as the main transit point for goods destined for Yangon, Kolkata, and Chittagong. . In June 2009, China and Myanmar governments announced plans for the Kyaukpyu deep sea port to be the terminus for Middle East and African tankers supplying oil to China. The plans also included a 1100 km oil and gas pipeline connecting Kyaukpyu, Ramree Island to Kunming in China’s Yunnan province. .]Cheers
Article is nothing more than "Khayali Pulao". Pakistan had a much stronger relation with USA. What did Pakistan get out of that relationship? All round destruction and nothing else. Pakistan might get some toys from China and nothing substantial. Rest assure, India with its size will be able to handle China much better than any other country. No doubt, China will keep playing clown like tricks of stapled visa and so on, however, it won't affect much on ground. China contributed nothing more than noise during 1971 Indo-Pak war. If China keeps pricking India, day of Tibetan card will surely be played by India. Hope ET readers know that Modi for the first time invited Tibetan PM for his oath taking ceremony. Chinese could do nothing more than lodging a protest.
The article on sino Pakistan relations starts and ends with constant reference to india, thereby acceding to the fact that China values nothing about Pakistan except its rivalry with india. The Chinese have come to Pakistan's rescue when in dire need except during the wars whether with india or within Pakistan...not sure what help is being spoken of considering the poor security situation, poor infrastructure and overall poor human development that prevails in Pakistan. China is creating wealth enormously, has 4 trillion dollars in foreign reserve, a new power plant every ten days, advanced railway, space program's and what not...but does it share with Pakistan ? The only winners have been the Chinese exports who were given unquestionable access to Pakistani market destroying local industries (ex auto part manufacturing ) and they did so very easily just playing into anti india mind set of Pakistanis. Indo sino relations on the other hand revolve on the premise of trade, infrastructure development and investments not centred around a third country thereby assuring quality for both sides. Higher than mountain is simply not enough when sky is the limit.
Might I suggest to the commenters that they reconsider their statements taking into consideration that the key energy supplier for the world industry remains the House of Saud. Nothing and absolute nothing progresses in China or India or in the western world. without their approval . And by God, they will act if they must, to sfeguard the intersts of Ummah in any part of the world.
Rex Minor
well honestly speaking china pak railway should be given the same importance as Pakistan had given importance in making it's own nukes. After 10 years from now , china will be the largest economy surpassing USA on the planet earth . We should make this our priority as we had declared that we will eat grass but we will definitely build nukes. Similarly we should make Diamer bhasha dam and china pak railway our first priority, no matter what obstacles we face, we "must" build this railway. Coincidentally china pak strategic interests coincides on many geopolitical issues.We must learn from Turkey which has used it's geographical location to it's best and now it is included in the developed countries long before it's own 2020 target, now she has strong economy and strong army.
Surprisingly the friendship does not show up in trade or investments.
It will take twenty five years to construct the railway line from Kashgar to Gwadar. Meanwhile the politics of the world change, who will be with whom is a question. China is now rethinking spending that much money in present times when the anti-state actors are active both in Xinziang and Pakistan. They are also thinking of alternative route via Afghanistan so that area to be covered in Pakistan to reach Gwadar is very less. Finally, China is also rethinking the benefits of friendship with Pakistan at the cost of huge business with its neighbours. Let us see;
Another article which is based on the premise that China and USA are enemies and that India and China are about to go to war. Rubbish. . The USA/China have better relations than Pakistan/China - that's something that is apparent to most who live outside of Pakistan. I suggest the author travel to China sometime - starting at the airport I want him to view how American's are treated going through customs and then compare that with how Pakistanis are treated - then visit some factories and ask how much of their product is going to be sent to the USA vs Pakistan - then ask the average Chinese citizen what he thinks of Muslims and what he thinks of America. . As far as Gwadar port - why would the Chinese want to move oil using expensive railroad to a portion of China which doesn't even have the existing infrastructure to transmit it to the end user? According to the author it somehow makes strategic sense in case the USA tries to stop naval shipments of oil .. but it hasn't dawned on the author that the USA is determined to stop oil shipments there is nothing to prevent it from embargoing Gwadar port or the port where the oil shipment originates. . Lastly .. if Gwadar port was so strategically vital to China as author implies ... why has it sat half built forever? Why is there no corresponding articles written in Chinese newspapers?
"Whenever in dire need, Pakistan has always looked up to China and the friendly country has almost always responded"
how do you define dire need? do you think we were in dire need in 1965, 1971 or 1999 in our wars with India? China did nothing. Major problem behind our false narrative is this belief China is our benefactor while in fact America has been our biggest benefactor and continues to be so.
It would be an engineering marvel if China manages to build the rail-link and also a mighty costly proposition. Only China with it's economic strength can manage to even think of such a link in such hostile terrain. Pakistan can't contribute even less than 1 or even 0.01% in such a costly project due to non-existent finances. I don't think the project is viable is it will be always fraught with terrorist strikes as many parts from which it will pass through are out of control of Paki's govt. All in all this project is just another wish-horse played to the gallery by Paki dream-factory churners with nothing concrete in terms of project viability and finances to tell. Regarding India's objection, India hasn't managed to stall the sale of Kashmir territory by Pakistan to China nor has been able to stave Pakistan in selling it's territory or assets to Chinese on whatever dubious terms. I don't know Paki's people in general know about the terms of sale of Gwadar or POK areas to Chinese....!
A bit of wishful thinking. Ultimately the Sino-Pak relationship will succumb, not to Indian protests, but to Chinese pragmatism. The Sino-Indian trade is heavily weighted in China's favor, and with time, India will be able to use this as leverage. Gwadar is practically in a different country, and China may be able to operationalize the port, but they cannot depend on it for fuel supplies that pass through Balochistan, Kashmir and Xinjiang (the most peaceful of which is probably Kashmir). India has been foolish not to support the Tibetan cause more vocally - the Chinese see accommodation as a sign of weakness. Blame Nehru.