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| Strategic Interests of China and Russia | |
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by Wang Guoqiang | |
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It is understandable that Russia hopes that India and Pakistan will make efforts to mitigate the strained situation. However, China and Russia have different aims regarding this issue. China’s development cannot be isolated from the rest of the world. A sound international environment and a relatively stable security situation in surrounding areas have been important conditions guaranteeing the sustained and rapid development of China over the past 20 years. Therefore, it does not want the deterioration of strained relations between India and Pakistan to produce negative effects on China’s development, nor does it want to see the India-Pakistan conflict turning into a war by extremist religious forces, which will affect the internal stability of China. It also hates to see the escalation of the India-Pakistan conflict leading to military interference by external forces, which will worsen the threat to the security of China. For Russia, South Asia has always been a key region in its external security strategy. In recent years, its South Asia policy has been aimed at restoring and expanding its influence on the region’s political, economic, military and security fields. The escalation of tension in India-Pakistan relations is bound to result in policy adjustment of external forces that are concerned about, and have been trying to interfere in, South Asian affairs. This will pose a new and severe challenge to Russia’s strategic achievements in South Asia. |
Policy
orientations of the big powers are key external factors for easing the
confrontation between India and Pakistan. With traditional interests
in South Asia, China and Russia are worrying about being entangled
between them. Thus, a common point in China and Russia’s policies
towards this issue is to prevent an adverse situation from developing.
Geographically, China adjoins the South Asian region. China and India
have maintained sound political relations of mutual support and
co-operation in the long-term international political struggle though
border and territorial disputes due to historical reasons still exist
between the two countries. The ‘Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence’ initiated by China and India not only serve as a
political basis of relations between the two countries, but are also
universally acknowledged norms of international relations. Also, China
and Pakistan have formed close relations of strategic co-operation in
the struggle against hegemonism. Therefore, China hopes that such
relations will not be damaged due to conflicts or a war between India
and Pakistan.