The China–Pakistan Axis Asia’s New Geopolitics

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Shashank Joshi has done a review of the book and here is a taster:

Premier Zhou Enlai, meeting the delegation, was bewildered by their request for only 14 days' ammunition. 'How can a war be fought in that short time?' Zhou then asked: 'I would be interested to know if you have prepared the people of Pakistan to operate in the rear of the enemy...I am talking about a People's Militia being based in every village and town'. The Sandhurst-educated generals were taken aback. 'What does Zhou Enlai know about soldiering anyway?'This story appears early in Andrew Small's outstanding new book .... It is a reminder that the two countries are odd bedfellows, lacking the cultural affinity that might be implied by General Xiong Guangkai's quip that 'Pakistan is China's Israel'.
China has repeatedly left Pakistan to stew in its own juices in moments of peril, from 1965 to more recent crises

Link:http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/...ew-small.aspx?

[davidbfpo]

A third review of The China–Pakistan Axis: Asia’s New Geopolitics' by Andrew Small, by Myra Macdonald (who is always worth reading):http://warontherocks.com/2015/02/not.../?singlepage=1

A passage of note refers to Xinjiang, an issue that grown IMHO in recent years:

Until relatively recently, moreover, it was able to rely on Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency to gain access to the Afghan Taliban and other Islamist militants to ensure Chinese interests were left alone and Uighur militants from its Xinjiang region kept in check. But as Pakistan began to lose its grip on Islamist militants, China also lost some of its confidence in Pakistan. At home, China has faced increased attacks from Uighur militants; while in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, Chinese workers have been killed. Hence its worries about the Pakistan Army: it is one thing to support a national military against India and quite another to supply one being eaten away from within by a virulent strain of violent Islamism.

(China)...it also has common cause with Washington in its desire for regional stability. Indeed it was U.S. drone strikes rather than Pakistani troops that killed Uighur militant leaders wanted by China in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan.

[davidbfpo]

A rare report from Gwadar, the sometimes controversial and under-used deep-water port in western Balochistan, via The Guardian; the full title being 'A new Shenzhen? Poor Pakistan fishing town's horror at Chinese plans':http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...wn-china-plans

Well there is nothing like dreams hitting the reality of the region and simple economics - is it cheaper to go overland or stick to the sea lanes?

[davidbfpo]

Well a lot pf people have been wondering how long China would be patient, so this report is interesting. Especially when the Foreign Minister says:

Every Pakistani must ask whether the people [militants] we nurtured during the past 30 or 40 years are still our [strategic] assets today. Are they our assets or liability? We have to define this on our national level. I am talking about what my children and their children will endure [if we fail].
First we need to confess our sins and then hope for atonement.

Link:https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/pakista.../28720725.html

Shashank Joshi's response:

The FM has no authority to change policy on this matter.

[davidbfpo]

A short article from RUSI, by an intern from Pakistan and the full title is: Growing Pakistan–Russia Military Ties Reflect Central Asia’s Changing Geopolitics.
Link:https://rusi.org/commentary/growing-...ng-geopolitics

It starts with:

Pakistan’s military is intensifying security cooperation with Russia. It is a remarkable and historic turnaround for two countries that for many decades considered each other rivals.

One expects that Pakistani diplomats will be busy, as the author concedes:

China and India have reacted with dismay to these overt strategic ties between Russia and Pakistan. However, President Vladimir Putin dismissed such fears, saying that India still remained Moscow’s strategic and historic partner in Asia.

It ends with a rather predictable swipe at President Trump:

Rapprochement with Russia could be a sign of things to come, if the US keeps threatening the Pakistani military with sanctions and if Washington continues to stall military sales.

[davidbfpo]

From The Soufan Center IntelBrief a curious diplomatic episode:

The most significant factor in the FATF putting Pakistan back on the grey list, which it was on from 2012-2015—though the global dynamics are quite different now—are the postures of Saudi Arabia and China; the former voted for the measure and the latter abstained, allowing the motion to carry. While Pakistan expects pressure from the U.S., the lack of support from China and Saudi Arabia, both of whom are vital to the economy and finances of Pakistan, is a sign of effective lobbying by the U.S. and, at least publicly, those two countries taking a tougher stand on Pakistan’s dance with terrorist groups.

Link:http://thesoufancenter.org/tsc-intel...sure-pakistan/