World War II changed the whole world not only politically but also geographically. Almost hundreds of years ago, the entire West, including the United States and Britain, was an ally of Japan in China. But now they were enemies. Germany, an ally of the West during the 19th century, was now divided and its women were being raped by US and British troops in Berlin.
Austria, which had been one of the victors in China, was collapsed after Hitler’s first move, and its independence was now dependent on the United States and Britain. France also parted away from United States and Britain. France thought it was better to have a separate ceasefire agreement with Germany.
Russia, which gained “ally” status in China a hundred years ago, was now becoming the Soviet Union and a nightmare for the entire West. Above all, the world was divided into two blocks: Communist Bloc and Capitalist Bloc. Meanwhile, when China gained independence and emerged as a communist country, the West, which looted Chinese for a hundred years, was shocked for the first fifteen years.
Mao Zedong adopted the strategy of “house in order” by closing all the doors of China. But Pakistan was the first country to recognize the new China. On 29th April, 1964, with a Boeing 720B, PIA earned the distinction of becoming the first airline from a non-communist country to fly into the People’s Republic of China.
Credit must be given to the Pakistani leadership of the time, which from day one laid the foundation for a very close friendship with modern China that went on to become a guarantee of Pakistan’s national security.
Pakistan later decided to become a bridge between modern China and the West. It was Pakistan that established US-China relations through secret diplomacy between Beijing and Washington. That is why when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto visited China, he was received by the people.
And so Pakistan became the first country with which communist China’s strategic relationship began. Yes! The same China, which is being accused of massacring its Muslim citizens. Some people don’t think before saying that the strategic partner, Pakistan, is connected with China through Xinjiang route. Both Pakistan and China are fortunate that their border is in the Muslim-majority region of China.
If it is difficult to understand this good fortune, then remember Allama Iqbal’s statement, “Aik hon Muslim haram ki pasbani ke liye, Neel ke sahil se le kar ta ba Khaak-i-Kashgar [All Muslims from the shores of the Nile to the sands of Kashgar/ Unite to protect the Kaaba]”.
From the coast of Gwadar to the scene of Kashgar, it will not take long to understand why the West, which has been plundering the Chinese for a hundred years, is in shock. For now, understand the strategic relationship between Pakistan and China and the strategic importance of Xinjiang for China.
China’s border connects with eight countries through Xinjiang. So this is the first strategic point. The second strategic point is that the longest border between China and Kazakhstan is through Xinjiang. And atomic power China buys all its uranium from Kazakhstan.
The third strategic significance of Xinjiang is that Pakistan’s border with China also connects through it. And Pakistan is a country that has caught the eye of Western powers from day one. Same Pakistan shares a border with Iran, which has been a headache for the West for forty years. And now it is set to become China’s second strategic partner. And Iran’s border connects with Turkey, which emerged as an economic and military power under Tayyip Erdoğan.
And these three countries, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey, are extremely important in China’s long-term strategy. So the countries, which looted China for hundreds of years and trampled its national sovereignty, think that if Xinjiang is somehow separated from China, its border will be cut from seven countries.
In this regard, China will not be able to obtain uranium from Kazakhstan, nor will Pakistan, which relied on its veto power, leap further, nor will the Belt and Road initiative complete. After that, China will be left alone and it will be easier to suppress it through India and South China Sea.
