Geo-Strategic Trend - 74. page

China held its first diplomatic talks with the Taliban on Wednesday August 25, establishing “effective communication” with the insurgent group in Afghanistan. However, the growing relationship between the two countries seems to be contingent on the Taliban’s ties with the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Uyghur militant group.

ETIM is an extremist group of native Uyghurs, which is a Muslim minority in China. The ETIM’s stated objective is to form a sovereign nation of East Turkestan. It is to be carved out from Xinjiang province.

In 2002, the United Nations and the US officially designated the ETIM as a terrorist group. “ETIM has a close financial relationship with al-Qaida and many of its members’ received terrorist training in Afghanistan, financed by al-Qaida and the Taliban. A statement from the US Treasury Department in 2002 said, “A number of ETIM and ETIM-linked militants were captured in Afghanistan last fall fighting alongside al-Qaida and the Taliban.”

On August 30, a Chinese government spokesperson for Xinjiang province said, “In the past, the ETIM gathered in Afghanistan, posing a direct threat to the security and stability of Xinjiang. It is hoped that the Afghan Taliban draw a clear line from ETIM and attack them resolutely and effectively.”

Days earlier, on August 27, Xi Jinping, the general secretary of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) said in a meeting in Beijing, “We must resolutely guard against major hidden dangers in the ethnic field. It is necessary to  …  eliminate ethnic divisions and religious extremes.” “We must strengthen international anti-terrorism cooperation.”

Source: Central News Agency, August 30, 2021
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202108300168.aspx

On August 27, 2021, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the head of the Afghan Taliban made it clear to the Chinese side that the Afghan Taliban will never allow any force to use the Afghan territory to engage in acts that hurt China. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on August 16, “The situation in Afghanistan has undergone major changes. We respect the will and choice of the Afghan people.”

The following are examples of Chinese netizens’ responses on Chinese social platforms.

“I feel furious and shameful when I see some unscrupulous media whitewashing the Taliban! The Taliban villains who caused serious injuries and massacres of countless innocent women on September 11 should be executed! The enemy’s enemy will not be a friend! Those who do not have correct thoughts and morals are unpopular no matter where they are!”

“Who would have thought that in 2021, when civilization has developed to such a high level, a group of people is still cheering for the murderers.”

“Hua Chunying said that the Afghan people chose the Taliban, so I ask, does it [Hua] have a sense of humanity? Can it [Hua] choose the fate of being stoned to death on behalf of all the Afghan people who love equality, freedom, and civilization? Is Hua Chunying still a human being?”

“I think everyone must not believe certain Chinese official accounts that are whitewashing the floor. Last night, the Taliban’s press conference made it very clear that the protection of women’s rights is within the Islamic law and is no different from the previous Taliban’s ideology and beliefs. Can a brutal and extreme terrorist organization … become a Buddha overnight? Those in our country who deliberately play a praising tune don’t support the bandits. …”

“China should be worried. This miscalculation of the United States will not weaken its determination to participate in international affairs but will only reinforce its determination and strength to take action in the future. It seemed that the United States might be embarrassed when it evacuated from South Vietnam, but how decisive it was in conquering Grenada afterward, [and entering Panama and beating Iraq].”

“The regional geo-political situation has indeed worsened, and Afghanistan is close to Xinjiang. I am afraid that it will become a training base for terrorists and a rear output center. In a sense, the withdrawal of U.S. troops is a big loss for our country.”

“Now we need to worry about the question seriously: With the emergence of this extreme Islamic regime, will the sparsely populated Wakhan Corridor, which directly connects to western China, look different from now on?”

Sources:

1.) China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, August 16 and 27, 2021
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/wjdt_674879/fyrbt_674889/t1902491.shtml
http://new.fmprc.gov.cn/web/fyrbt_673021/t1899761.shtml

2,) Radio France Internationale, August 21, 2021
https://tinyurl.com/ywwn5jac

According to CCTV, on August 26, during a regular press conference, the Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said that, in 2020, bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan reached 550 million U.S. dollars. From January to June this year, bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan reached US$310 million, up 44 percent year over year. By the end of June, China had invested US$430 million in Afghanistan.

Source: Sina, August 26, 2021
https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2021-08-26/doc-ikqcfncc5135561.shtml

The Epoch Times reported that it has received information from several sources that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using its United Front Work Department to lobby India’s scholars, news reporters, and companies. The goal is to weaken India and eventually force it to yield to the CCP.

The article reported several examples:

Some well-known Indian newspapers published whole-page commentaries by Sun Weidong, China’s Ambassador to India, on the issues of Tibet, Hong Kong, COVID-19, and the CCP’s 100^th Anniversary. The purpose of these commentaries was to promote the CCP’s viewpoint. For example, The Hindu (one of India’s  main daily newspapers) published Sun’s commentary that Beijing’s passing the national security law in Hong Kong was good for India’s interests and therefore India should respect and support the CCP’s efforts in having passed this law in Hong Kong.

An anonymous New Delhi source said that China’s United Front Work Department has established groups to do lobbying in all key departments in every South Asian country.

The CCP is pushing its own leadership on Buddhism over its rival India. Ever since 2006, Beijing has hosted the World Buddhist Forum (WBF). The CCP controlled Panchen Lama gives a speech each time but the Dalai Lamar is never invited. Beijing even promoted its Belt & Road Initiative at the 2018 WBF conference.

Beijing is also promoting Lumbini in Nepal. Lumbini is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama around 563. In promoting it as a main Buddhist site, Beijing is attempting to counter India which has the most important Buddhist pilgrimage centers. Beijing built the Zhong Hua Chinese Buddhist Monastery in Lumbini. The Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation (APEC) also has a 3-billion-dollar project for the Lumbini Recovery Plan.

The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), under the CCP’s United Front Works Department, directs many friendship associations in other countries. When the world criticized the CCP for its national security law in Hong Kong, many friendship associations in South Asia published a joint statement to support the CCP. Also, when Beijing and India had a border clash, the India-China Friendship Association stated that it was “making every effort to promote peace (with China) among Indians.”

Source: Epoch Times, July 31, 2021
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/7/31/n13129773.htm

According to China’s state media People’s Daily, on August 24, the State Internet Information Office of China, also known as the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) hosted a Forum on China-Africa Cyberspace Development and Cooperation. The Forum was held online.

Zhuang Rongwen, the head of CAC, China’s top regulator of cyberspace, proposed to promote the development of the digital economy and deepen tolerance and mutual trust with African countries. The initiative also included strengthening cyberspace governance, and a deepening of cooperation in the development of cyberspace. Zhuang explained that China has launched the “China-Africa Initiative on Building a Community of Common Destiny in Cyberspace” and welcomed the support and participation of African countries. In the coming three years, China will work with the African side to design practical cooperation initiatives in the digital field.

China’s National Computer Network Emergency Response Center (CNCERT) also signed a memorandum of cooperation with the National Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRT) of the Benin Republic.

Source: People’s Daily, August 25, 2021
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2021-08/25/nw.D110000renmrb_20210825_10-03.htm

Popular Hong Kong new online media HK01 Network recently reported that, on August 19th, China Global Television Network (CGTN) of China Central Radio and Television, interviewed Suhail Shaheen, spokesperson for the Taliban in Afghanistan. When talking about rebuilding and maintaining peace in Afghanistan, Shaheen expressed the hope that, in the future, China can contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Shaheen mentioned that members of the Taliban have visited China many times and China has played a constructive role during the process of promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. Shaheen said that China appointed a special envoy to Afghanistan earlier, and the two parties kept in touch. Now, China has appointed a new special envoy to Afghanistan, and the connection remains. Recently, the Taliban delegation met with the new special envoy. The Taliban hopes that China will continue its contribution to the future of Afghanistan. “The Afghan people look forward to it,” he said. Shaheen also explained that, according to the current structure of the Taliban, Afghanistan will set up a governing committee in the future, and the new head of the government may be the leader of the Taliban.

Source: HK01, August 20, 2021
https://bit.ly/3y36BOm