COUNTERING TERRORISM: A CHINESE VARIANT
By Dr. K. Srikant
Recent Chinese statements on terrorism are unprecedented and reflect a growing
awareness of the phenomenon.
China has declared that it is opposed to the "Three evils" of separatism,
extremism and terrorism. And to counter these "three evils", the Chinese
authorities re-invigorated the "strike-hard" policy by arresting thousands and
executing several across the country.
Internally the Chinese officials tried to contain terrorist incidents through
military exercises, propaganda and internal control. China initiated efforts to
build a nation-wide network against terrorism within the country. A national
anti-terrorism organization was set up; and in 2002 the Shanghai police
established the first mobile anti-terrorist unit. An elite special force with
recruits from all over China was also set up.
Terrorist incidents in China were triggered with the uighurs and the ethnic
minorities feeling alienated from the mainstream Han-majority, who dominate the
minority habitated areas and exploit local resources to fuel industrialization
in east China.
The counter-terrorism campaign in China restricted until recently to Xinjiang
Autonomous Region has now extended to Tibet and Inner Mongolia. After the
September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the
Chinese Government enlisted several organizations in the country as terrorist
organizations and sought the support of the international community to counter
them. These included, east Turkistan Islamic Movement, and The World uighur
Youth Congress.
The Chinese entered into agreements with neighbouring countries on sharing
intelligence on terrorist activity, curbing illegal financial flows and urged
these countries not to harbour ethnic minority leaders and organizations.
In the past four years a number of joint counter-terrorism exerciser have been
conducted along with neighbouring countries.
A joint counter- terrorism exercise, code-named "Himalayas 03" was held by the
PLA and the armed police in Lhasa on November 14, 2003.
It also conducted a joint counter-terrorism exercise with the central Asian
republics and Russia.
Similar operations were conducted along with the Republic of Kazkhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and Pakistan.
China has joined ten of the existing international anti-terrorist conventions
and had signed most of them. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was
formed in the 1990s to counter terrorism and to resolve the border problems with
Central Asian Republics and Russia.
On October 21, 2001, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting at
Shanghai, in the presence of US, Russian and other heads of Governments, adopted
anti-terrorism resolution.
China quickly ratified the international conventions on suppressing terrorist
bombings and financing.
In his speech at the 39th Munich conference on Security Policy in February 2003,
the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Chinese Military, Xiong Guangkai made
it clear that China's policy towards terrorism is to "condemn terrorism in any
form; seek both a temporary solution and a permanent cure in the process of
anti-terrorism; fight terrorism in a comprehensive way and make the United
Nations play a leading role in the war against terrorism." China also separately
carried out consultations with countries such as the United States, Russia,
Britain, France, Germany, Pakistan and India.
In countering terrorism, China's relations with the United States have become
crucial, although China played it down by making arrangements with its
neighbouring countries. The initial response of Beijing to the September 11
events was quite mixed. Though the official spokesperson condemned the World
Trade Center and the Pentagon attacks, their were few initial reservations in
supporting the United States-led counter-terrorism global campaigning. These
were due to several reasons.
Terrorism has many definitions and no one definition meets the perspectives of
all countries.
More important reasons behind these Chinese reservations were out of its
internal problems with Uighurs in Xinjiang and the Pro-Independence Movement in
Taiwan. Another reason is that almost all the nations suspected of Harbouring
terrorists, intentionally or otherwise, are in areas close to China-Afghanistan,
Tajikistan, Philippines, Indonesia etc. China expressed concerns that the US-led
global war on terrorism, was intended to contain it from becoming a major player
in Asia.
The Chinese argue that the counter-terror campaign forces nations to focus on
matters of internal security, having global strategic aspects to dominant
countries to decide and influence.
Yet others viewed this period as promoting understanding between many countries
in ushering stability in international relations. As Afghanistan become crucial
in addressing the issue of terrorism, it became necessary to look for Chinese
responses to the US invasion. The Chinese Government-suggested five points.
Safeguarding sovereignty as enshrined in the United Nations Charter; arriving at
an independent solution to the Afghan problem; future political set-up in
Afghanistan should be broad based rather than having only the Northern Alliance
partners; maintaining peace and stability in the region; and ensuring a
constructive role from the UN. In addition, China has maintained that any
military operations against the country's sponsoring terrorism should not pose
collateral damages on the civilian population.
Also China clearly stated that extension of such campaign to other countries
could be met with some opposition.
Eventually, on September 14, 2001 the China called for "enhanced cooperation"
with the US in countering terrorist activity. According to experts of both sides
the current campaign would provide opportunities for both China and the US for
expanding "strategic cooperation."
China had firmly stood along United Nations Security Council anti-terrorism
resolution under UN charter on September 28, 2001. The resolution has provisions
for threat of usage of military power, on sanctions and requires countries not
to provide safe havens or financing to terrorist organizations.
On June 28, 2003 China approved an amendment to Article one of the "United
Nations Convention on Prohibition or Restriction on the use of certain
conventional weapons, which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or to have
indiscriminate effect."
All this public posturing looks at variance with China's private peace with
terrorist organizations like Taliban and al-Qaida. If western reports are to be
believed, al-Qaida's supreme, Osama bin laden took refugee in 2003-04; and in
return brought peace between warring Uighur muslims and Beijing. -CNF
(The writer is a Research Fellow at The Institute for Defence Studies and
Analyses New Delhi.)