Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: China on Wednesday rejected the notion that Pakistan was targeted on the issue of terrorism in any manner whatsoever in the joint declaration issued at the end of the BRICS summit in the Chinese city of Xiamen earlier this week.

“There is no change in Beijing’s stance on Islamabad’s sacrifices in war against terrorism,” a senior Chinese official told Daily Times. “Terrorist organisations mentioned in joint declaration are the same already listed by the United Nations … there is nothing new,” he said, adding Pakistan’s name was not even mentioned in the text of the declaration and that security concerns shown by the BRICS member nations were only confined to the situation in Afghanistan.

“We, in this regard, express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al-Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir,” the declaration issued after the summit read.

The Chinese official emphasised that no country should claim ‘victory’ in respect of the contents mentioned in the joint declaration. “BRICS is a multilateral forum which has taken a unanimous position on an issue of common concern,” he added.

The official said that China opposes ‘double standards’ on the counterterrorism strategy and emphasises that terrorism should not be linked to any specific country, ethnicity or religion. “We oppose terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”

The official hoped that Pakistani side would assess the situation through correct analysis and without being influenced by the negative propaganda by vested interests. “China and Pakistan share time-tested friendship and profound mutual trust. Top Chinese negotiators at BRICS meeting ensured the joint declaration is in line with Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts,” the official said, adding Chinese diplomats also foiled Indian bid to target Pakistan at the BRICS summit by discarding ‘some 10 pages of demands’ which New Delhi wanted to be incorporated in the joint declaration. “We confronted and cut down those demands to only a few clauses.”

The official said at the Heart of Asia conference last year, the same declaration was issued with the same voice. Pakistan was also a participant of the meeting and had agreed to it to some extent, he added.

The official said that China always speaks for Pakistan on all forums and hoped the tradition as well as the time-tested friendship will continue in the future too. “We have been saying that Pakistan’s security concerns about regional developments should be respected. We want a holistic counterterrorism strategy that addresses not only the symptoms but also the root-causes of terrorism,” he said, adding China will always like to expand coordination and communication with Pakistan on Afghan peace efforts.

Published in Daily Times, September 7^th 2017.