On September 17, Huanqiu published a commentary stating that it is not clear whether ISIS is a terrorist group and that therefore China does not need to participate in the effort to fight ISIS.
The commentary stated, “ISIS is more focused on challenging the bottom line of U.S. interests. Therefore, China has no need or capability to mind others’ business.”
The commentary questioned, “If ISIS did not have any rational elements, there would be no way to explain why ISIS has been able to gain ground in Iraq and Syria so quickly. Currently, the Western media blindly exaggerate the extremist side of ISIS killing captives and beheading Western hostages, but they rarely mention other sides of ISIS.”
“According to the sporadic information that has been obtained, ISIS provides utilities, pays wages, controls traffic, and manages bakeries, banks, schools, courts, and mosques in the occupied territories. Therefore, it is difficult to determine whether ISIS is a heinous terrorist organization or the inevitable product of the current political developments in the Middle East. Since this key issue is not resolved, it is premature to rush to participate in military strikes against ISIS. China’s cautious attitude demonstrates the exact reason that China is a ‘responsible power.’”
Tian Wenlin, author of the commentary, is an associate research fellow at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing. It is affiliated with China’s Ministry of State Security, while the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China oversees it.
Source: Huanqiu, September 17, 2014
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/opinion_world/2014-09/5140290.html