China's Far West provinces (inc. Tibet)

[AdamG]

At least 12 people were killed Tuesday in riots near the Chinese city of Kashgar in the restive northwestern region of Xinjiang, state media reported. The report provided no details on how the violence began, but there have been periodic outbreaks of antigovernment violence in Xinjiang Province by restless members of the Uighur ethnic group.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/wo....html?src=recg

[Ray]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...?newsfeed=true

I appears China is getting a bit uncomfortable with Pakistani sponsored terrorism.

[Ray]

Chinese authorities have asked Pakistan to hand over members of the extremist East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) believed to be operating out of the country, naming six terror suspects in a list issued on Friday that described the group as the "most direct and real safety threat that China faces".

The six men were “core members” of the ETIM, the Ministry of Public Security said in a statement. They were identified as Nurmemet Memetmin, Abdulkyum Kurban, Paruh Tursun, Tursunjan Ebibla, Nurmemet Raxit and Mamat Imin Nurmamat – all Uighurs, the ethnic Turkic Muslim minority from China’s far-western Xinjiang region which borders Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

While the ministry's statement stopped short of stating directly their links to terror camps in Pakistan – it only mentioned "a South Asian country” – a separate statement from the Chinese government issued last year identified Mr. Memetmin as having trained terrorists in Pakistan to carry out attacks in the city of Kashgar that left at least 20 people dead.

Mr. Nurmamat was also believed to be in Pakistan, according to Chinese analysts. The Ministry of Public Security said he had fled China after an explosion triggered accidentally at a bomb-making terror unit in Shache, Xinjiang that was plotting an attack in October 2009.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/interna...cle3287906.ece

[JMA]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...?newsfeed=true

I appears China is getting a bit uncomfortable with Pakistani sponsored terrorism.

Don't blame them, but what will they do about it?

[davidbfpo]

Given the report that it was the Red Mosque followers kidnapping of a bus-load of Chinese sex workers in Islamabad was "straw that broke the camel's back" and led to then President Musharraf's decision to use lethal force to "resolve" the occupation of the mosque - there is a history of Chinese matters having an impact on Pakistani decision-making.

I am sure historians would cite other incidents.

At the same time China has been reluctant to support Pakistan at times too.

One wonders how heavy a presence today in Pakistan is there of Chinese security & intelligence agencies?

[bourbon]

One wonders how heavy a presence today in Pakistan is there of Chinese security & intelligence agencies?

To say nothing of all their “technicians” and “engineers” running around FATA, Balochistan, and PoK.

[Ray]

China Seeking Counter-Uighur Military Bases In Pakistan?

In its effort to combat separatist Uighur groups, China is apparently seeking to establish military bases in the part of Pakistan that borders the Uighurs' home province of Xinjiang. That's according to Pakistani journalist Amir Mir, writing in Asia Times:

While Pakistan wants China to build a naval base at its southwestern seaport of Gwadar in Balochistan province, Beijing is more interested in setting up military bases either in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan or in the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) that border Xinjiang province.

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/64379

*************

Given the relationship with the US currently, China is Pakistan's only hope.

They will have to give way to the Chinese.

But it will create problems and they may get bogged down.

[Ray]

Kashgar Officials Blame Pakistan for Harboring Uyghur Terrorists

Since U.S.-Pakistan relations took a nosedive following the raid to kill Osama bin Laden, Islamabad has appeared to try to woo China as its new superpower ally; Pakistan's prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani, called China "Pakistan's best friend" on a visit to Beijing shortly after the bin Laden raid. But the courtship is hitting a rocky patch: Chinese officials say that attacks in the far western city of Kashgar over the weekend were planned in Pakistan, in Uyghur terror training camps there........

Uyghur activists, along with several foreign experts quoted in these news stories, suggested that blaming Pakistan was an attempt to dodge the fact that it is in fact local people, angry with Beijing's heavy-handed rule over the Uyghur-dominated province of Xinjiang, who are rising up. But the fact that they're pointing the finger at Pakistan is probably making some people in Islamabad pretty nervous. China takes the Uyghur issue VERY seriously, and if they really think that Pakistan is actually harboring Uyghur terrorists, the two countries aren't going to be best friends for long.

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/63983

[Ray]

Note that the Chinese have blamed Pakistan for Uighur Terrorism openly and have named the terrorists and confiscated their property as also impounding their bank accounts.

They never did it so openly before.

China Blames Foreign-Trained Separatists for Attacks in Xinjiang
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/wo...a/02china.html

So, that means that they are getting tough with Pakistan?

Wrong.

It is to build up an excuse to demand operating bases in NWFP and FATA so that they can take on the Uighur rebels!

Even that is wrong.

They are wanting to plonk themselves between the US in Afghanistan and Pakistan so that Pakistan can breathe since the US will not then use Drones or carry out cross border raids. This will endear them to the Pakistani population.

Then they will carry out movement into Afghanistan once the US leaves so that their hold around the area become firm and their routes into Iran and its ports including Chahbahar (constructed by India) becomes a reality. And because of that they are supporting Iran against the US at all international forums.

China Seeking Counter-Uighur Military Bases In Pakistan?

In its effort to combat separatist Uighur groups, China is apparently seeking to establish military bases in the part of Pakistan that borders the Uighurs' home province of Xinjiang. That's according to Pakistani journalist Amir Mir, writing in Asia Times:

While Pakistan wants China to build a naval base at its southwestern seaport of Gwadar in Balochistan province, Beijing is more interested in setting up military bases either in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan or in the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) that border Xinjiang province.

China Seeking Counter-Uighur Military Bases In Pakistan? | EurasiaNet.org