Beijing is concerned about the destabilization of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Afghanistan And is seeking assurances on security, which neither Kabul or Islamabad will be able to give, sources in the Indian security establishment told News18.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-appointed Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang held talks on Monday, a departure from recent years when such talks were stalled, indicating China’s plans To expand your influence in the region.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Qin Gang met separately in the fourth edition of Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue.
“In these meetings, the Chinese basically stress on security and how to protect Chinese projects, workers and engineers. China seeks security assurance before proceeding further into Afghanistan,” a top official in the Indian security establishment told News18. , neither Kabul nor Islamabad can give this assurance… the situation is bad there.
“This is the wrong time to invest in CPEC in Afghanistan. Afghans are not interested in CPEC corridor. The Chinese are worried about going into Afghanistan… China wants to build large-scale ports, roads, container depots, etc. in Afghanistan, but this will not be possible. The Afghans are not interested in this.
CPEC, also known as One Road Project, is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to restructure the ancient Silk Road and connect China to all corners of Asia.
Beijing is controlling the huge package that includes projects such as road and power plant construction and boosting agricultural production. The package is considered a lifeline for Pakistan, which is currently facing one of its worst economic crises amid stalled bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.
China has been demanding greater security from Pakistan for its citizens living and working in the country since 2021, when a suicide bomber killed nine Chinese and four Pakistanis in an attack in Pakistan’s volatile northwest.
While Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi assured Beijing’s top diplomat that his country would promote security for all Chinese citizens, it cannot provide the same assurance from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have seen ups and downs in the past year. In February, both sides closed the main Afghan-Pakistan border crossing at Torkham, stranding people and trucks carrying food and essential goods.
Pakistan has recently expressed concern over an increase in deadly attacks across the country by the Pakistani Taliban – an independent terrorist group affiliated with and harboring the Afghan Taliban.
Islamabad has called on the Taliban in Kabul to do more to rein in extremists like the Pakistani Taliban – also known as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP – which has attacked Pakistan in recent months. Attacks on security forces have intensified.
India’s objection
India’s main objection to the $60 billion corridor is that it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), giving China access to the Arabian Sea through the Gwadar port in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
He said, ‘It is a violation of CPEC passing through PoK. We are against CPEC because of this… China and Pakistan say it is an economic project but they have used it for their political gains.
“They are objecting to the G20 in Kashmir saying it is in dispute. According to him, we cannot hold a conference in Kashmir, but they can build roads and railways worth crores of rupees in PoK.
Speaking at a press conference after the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa on May 6, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said: “On the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, I think it has been very clear not once but twice.” it was done. In the SCO meeting, that connectivity is good for progress, but connectivity cannot violate sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
with agency inputs
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