China looks to Central Asia on security to create ‘safe Silk Road’
- Beijing is seeking cooperation with neighbours amid fears of a potential resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan as the US pulls out troops
- China is concerned instability could threaten its belt and road infrastructure projects in the region and that it may spill over into Xinjiang
China has sought to step up cooperation with Central Asian nations on security, amid concerns in Beijing over a potential resurgence of terrorism in neighbouring
as the US withdraws its troops from the country.
Beijing fears it could pose a threat to its
infrastructure projects in the region, and that instability in Afghanistan could give ground to Islamic fundamentalism that would spill over into China’s predominantly Muslim that borders the country.During
on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said they should work together to crack down on terrorist forces and prevent transnational crime to create a “safe Silk Road”.“We should resolutely crack down on the ‘three evil forces’ [of extremism, terrorism and separatism] including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement,” Wang told the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the Chinese city of Xian, in Shaanxi. Beijing has blamed ETIM for violence in
.“We should cooperate to prevent transnational organised crime, on drugs control, network security, managing non-governmental organisations, the security of large-scale activities and projects, and to safeguard our institutions, personnel and facilities to create a safe Silk Road,” Wang said.
He was referring to Beijing’s controversial belt and road strategy, known as the “new Silk Road” – a vast global infrastructure development plan that aims to boost China’s trade links across Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond.
Two of the belt and road network’s key “economic corridors” – which include special economic zones, energy and transport infrastructure – pass through central and southern Asia. The corridor through Pakistan is strategically important for China to provide an alternative route for oil and gas coming from the Middle East, rather than going via the Strait of Malacca.
In Central Asia, Chinese companies invested nearly US$50 billion in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan between 2005 and 2020, including on belt and road projects, according to the China Global Investment Tracker of the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington-based think tank.
Wang also said foreign troops should be pulled out of Afghanistan in an orderly and responsible manner, without mentioning the United States, which aims to have its remaining 2,500 to 3,500 troops out of the country by September after two decades of deployment there
Comments