China on Wednesday said, “It strongly opposes the double standards in combating terrorism, where certain parties support or instigate terrorism for their own interests, thereby undermining international and regional security, which harms others as well as themselves.” While making this statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also called for “enhanced international cooperation in fighting against all forms of terrorism. The statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry on terrorism is nothing more than a joke. It is ridiculous for China to make a statement denouncing double standards in combating terrorism, given its own track record that exposes its doublespeak on this issue. There is no dearth of examples and incidents that expose China on the front of countering terrorism. The more China makes such statements on terrorism the more it exposes itself on this issue.
The global community is aware that China has always prevented known, notorious and sanctioned Pakistan based ‘jihadis” from being listed as terrorists by the United Nations. China always sided with Pakistan to thwart any such attempt by India or any other countries including the US at the UN to get these terrorists blacklisted. What is more objectionable is that China always lavished praise on Pakistan for its “fight” against terrorism, while conveniently choosing to ignore the fact that Islamabad uses terrorism against India as its state policy. China never spoke against Pakistan providing safe haven to terror organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). China was always seen steering clear of making statements on terror activities from Pakistan’s territory against India. Whenever India revealed ISI and Pak army support to terrorists operating from Pakistan, Beijing remained mum on this.
Moreover, Beijing built links with the Taliban through Pakistan. Several countries including India condemned the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel and voiced support for Israel in October. But China did not say a single word in condemnation of Hamas’ attacks. How can China claim to be a responsible player in a collective campaign by the international community against terrorism? When Beijing did not condemn the Hamas act of terror, US Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, who was leading congressional delegation in China at that point of time, expressed displeasure over President Xi Jinping soft pedalling Hamas’ heinous atrocities. The Chinese Foreign Ministry later condemned “harm to civilians” but refrained from condemning Hamas directly. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning had then ducked the questions about Hamas’ terrorist activities. Surprisingly, the same spokesperson Ning is now calling out double standards in combating terrorism. Ning’s statement brings the spotlight on the fact that China has been sheltering terrorists from international action at the UN. On many occasions in the past, China blocked the proposals to list terrorists on the United Nations’ 1267 committee.
Last year only, China blocked at least three attempts by India to list Pakistan-based terrorists at the 1267 committee. This cemented the belief that China is not at all interested in addressing the global scourge of international terrorism. China’s doublespeak and duplicity is not limited to the issue of terrorism only but its double standards get exposed on the issue of respecting territorial integrity and sovereignty of other countries. While Beijing uses every global platform to stress the need for respecting territorial integrity of every nation, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) keeps violating the bilateral pacts and treaties which are for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India. China keeps igniting border skirmishes with India in what is a clear proof of the fact that it does not practice what it preaches in terms of honouring territorial integrity and sovereignty of others. That China is a military expansionist country is beyond doubt. So while making statements on terrorism and territorial integrity, China must introspect to see how it can mend its ways. What is more deplorable is that China is a permanent member of UNSC with veto power despite behaving irresponsibly on sensitive security issues. It is good that India has always used every significant global forum to call out China’s double standards on terrorism and territorial integrity.
In a swipe against Pakistan and China, Prime Minister Narendra, while chairing the SCO meeting, had pushed back against double standards in the fight against terror, saying that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) should not hesitate in criticising countries that use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy. At a meeting in Jakarta in September this year, PM Modi pitched for everyone’s commitment and joint efforts to strengthen the sovereignty and territorial of all countries. Modi’s remarks had come in the backdrop of China’s increasing military assertiveness in the South China Sea. Again in September, India had given a strong message to China and Pakistan, as it told the UN Security Council that blocking evidence-based proposals for blacklisting globally sanctioned terrorists without giving justifications is uncalled for and “smacks of doublespeak”. New Delhi must continue to give a strong message to China on this issue as and when it gets an opportunity to do so.