Threat of terror brings India and China closer

Source: DNA

Hua Hin: Concerned that the surge of terrorism in Pakistan might spill over across its borders, India and China have struck common cause.

Beijing will despatch its Communist Party politburo member in charge of security, Zhou Yongkang, to New Delhi next month to discuss how the two countries can cooperate to contain jehadi elements from Pakistan. Zhou, likely to be in the capital on November 16 (though the visit has not yet been officially announced), will meet national security advisor MK Narayanan and home minister P Chidambaram.

China is concerned that the resurgence of the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan will lead to jehadi influence in the Muslim-dominated Xinjiang area, which has of late seen major clashes between Uighurs and Han Chinese.

Pakistan-Afghanistan will also be on the agenda of prime minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao when they meet on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asean summit in Thailand. Earlier this week, Singh referred to the deteriorating internal situation in Pakistan while addressing army officers in the capital.

Although Sino-Indian ties have been blowing hot and cold of late, the common worry about terrorism is drawing the rivals towards cooperation despite Beijing's special relationship with Islamabad. Till recently, the Indian and Chinese foreign ministries were engaged in a bitter war of words, but over the last few days, both made efforts to bring down the temperature ahead of the prime ministers' meeting.

The leaders are also expected to reiterate their commitment to finding a negotiated settlement to the boundary issue. Singh has told the Assam and Arunachal chief ministers that he would apprise Wen of India's concerns about the possibility of China diverting the Brahamaputra waters, which would affect agricultural communities in the north-eastern states.

Wen, in turn, is expected to voice unhappiness over the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal next month. Beijing is incensed that he is not just visiting the state, but also the Tawang monastery, which the Chinese claim on behalf of Tibetans. China will try to ensure that India is persuaded to cancel the Dalai's trip.

Singh is unlikely to succumb to China's pressure, simply because domestic public opinion will see this as another sign of the UPA government having a weak foreign policy. Some analysts in India believe that the Dalai's visit should be postponed to ensure India does not open another front with China. But the majority of Indian experts do not agree, believing that buckling under pressure will expose India as a weak power.