Geopolitics of China, India and Pakistan

Geopolitics of China, India and Pakistan – PRESSER of symposium at Forum for International Relations Development

New rules of engagement with emerging China – Story

‘China has come a long way since its inception and new rules of engagement have to be settled between China, India and Pakistan. Pakistan must sense the changing face of the juggernaut and deal it accordingly as the typical Sino-Pak friendship would be threatened by the power of market forces which created the modern China’ . These thoughts were expressed by INSEAD Professor Emeritus and prolific writer and world renowned expert on China Jonathan Story while speaking to a symposium organised at ‘Geopolitics of China, India and Pakistan’. Story maintained that we have to see where we are now. He sallied fourth that China’s economic progress is the most significant event in last twenty years which also gave rise to Asia Pacific region. He pertained that in 1958 China and Albania were the poorest countries but fifty years down the line China is reconstructing systems of the world, which he mentioned will take longer time.

Contemplating Pakistan, Mr Story stated that Pakistan was infested with crucial problems:  Tax collection, failure of political system and volatile economy. He appropriated that 8 percent tax collection of GDP was a worrying figure and interventions in the political system of Pakistan had worsened the situation but the volatility of economy of country is a hopeful indicator if right policies are pursued. He articulated that Pakistanis are becoming aware of army interventions which might prove the biggest block to the future coups. Mr Story pointed out the religious emergence in Pakistan, India and China which might give rise to tensions between the three neighbouring states. He affirmed that Emperor in China lost credibility as Communist and religion is growing.  He also warned that Pakistan would soon be dealing with a different China due to the emerging corporate power and it has to reconcile itself with the change.

Mr Story pronounced that water will be the biggest problem for three countries. He declared that Mao’s move into Tibet in 1950 was to keep the water of region. The problem of water will be radiating political implications in years to come.

In his final remarks, Mr Jonathan Story claimed that there will be new engagements and new diplomacy for the region based on the communal rifts and frontiers. He concluded by saying that, “We should start talking about the policy which can mitigate the problems of the world”.

Toaha Qureshi MBE Chairman Forum for International Relations Development stressed upon the Pakistani Government no to take China for granted. He referred to Chinese decision of granting visas to Indians from Occupied Kashmir as a watershed in the Sino-Pak relations and a wakeup call to the movers and shakers in Pakistan.  Qureshi asserted that China is a complex phenomenon and it has to be understood from all the angles. The oft repeated stance from Pakistan taking China as ‘friend forever’ might land the nation into shoddier waters as seen in the long standing US-Pakistan romance as well.

FIRD fellow  Talha Qureshi constituted that emerging economies of the world were talked about in great deal. He claimed that China had surpassed Japan in generating surpluses and Asian economies performance had been so much better they became the lender of finance to the developing and developed countries. Talha conjectured that present world is fighting for natural resources and leading the way is China by becoming the power house of the World.

FIRD Programme Director Arif Anis Malik led into the historical back ground of Sino-Pak Relationship and how it related to India. He divulged that rise of China witnessed 10 percent GDP growth during last two decade and that enabled china to spend $ 687 billion to economic development which created 14 million jobs in the region. Furthermore, he asserted that rise of China touched down two dilemmas also; one being the persuasion of being super power and the other is identity dilemma.  He claimed that the corner stone of Pak-China relationship was set in 1960’s and China was the only Communist state Pakistan had relationship with. According to Malik, it was Pakistan who paved the way for Henry Kissinger’s visit to Beijing and played a determining role in shaping up China-US relationship in 1970s.  However, Dr Malik pertained that India was competing with China in 21^st century on economic frontiers and the memories of 1962’s conflict were not fading away.

Senior Fellow at Forum for International Relations Development, Phillip Lingard and Sheikh Mansur also spoke at the occasion. A large number of community leaders, researchers and international students attended the event.