With relations between India and Pakistan hitting an “all-time low”, the Chinese state-run media on Tuesday said that the country was ready to interfere in the Kashmir issue to protect its massive investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
This makes it obvious that the CPEC will be Beijing’s road to Kashmir, proving true India’s fear of China meddling in the issue.
Beijing invested in the CPEC despite India’s objections with an eventual aim of interfering in the Kashmir issue under the name of “protecting its investments”.
“Given the massive investment that China has made in countries along the One Belt, One Road, China now has a vested interest in helping resolve regional conflicts including the dispute over Kashmir between India and Pakistan,” the article added.
Chinese President XI Jinping’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) is an ambitious plan to build a new Silk Road linking Asia, Africa and Europe by pumping in billions of dollars in infrastructure projects such as railways, ports and power grids.
The article that China only appears not to “interfere” in the internal affairs of other countries but its investments, like the CPEC, gives it the power to launch its diplomatic game.
“China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, but that doesn't mean Beijing can turn a deaf ear to the demands of Chinese enterprises in protecting their overseas investments,” read an article in Chinese daily Global Times.
This comes despite the fact that India has always maintained that Kashmir is a bilateral problem to be resolved between New Delhi and Islamabad. However, Pakistan has been seeking mediation of other nations in the issue and has been raising the topic at global forums.
It may be worth mentioning here that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently on a two-day visit to India, had advocated a multilateral dialogue to resolve Kashmir issue with Pakistan – an offer clearly rejected by India, but welcomed by Pakistan.
The daily also said that China has been at the centre of a regional power shift, ans thus the country now need to learn how to act as a “stabilising force” and “conflict mediator” in the region.
“Mediating between India and Pakistan over Kashmir issue would perhaps be one of the toughest challenges facing China in dealing with regional affairs to safeguard its overseas interests,” the article read.
“In fact, mediating between India and Pakistan over Kashmir issue would perhaps be one of the toughest challenges facing China in dealing with regional affairs to safeguard its overseas interests,” it added.
