China Cooperates on Counter-Terrorism

  China, like all major countries around the globe faces its share of 21st century terrorist threats. The threat to China is both local and global.  Locally, China sees threats from its western regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. Internationally, Chinese interests are global with many situated on the African continent. 

 In 2001 China set up the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which is made up of six members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The SCO  was designed to deal with political, economic and military cooperation. SCO has held joint military exercises over the years called “Peace Missions.” The latest was held in the late summer of 2014 in Inner Mongolia.  The purpose of these exercises was, and is, to counter the threats from separatism, extremism and terrorism. In recent years the exercises have been scaled back, but they still involve conventional military forces. Critics suggested that such forces were not suited to current terrorist threats, but events in the Middle East especially in Syria and northern Iraq suggest that conventional forces do indeed have a large role to play in counter-terrorism. SCO counter-terrorist cooperation seems robust and is likely to continue in the future.

 While cooperation with its neighbors seems fairly straightforward, cooperation with the United States in a different matter. In July 2014, China and the U.S. agreed to increase cooperation on counter-terrorism. China Daily USA reported on July 17th, 2014 Chinese Vice Minister Cheng Guoping had met that week with U.S. ambassador-at-large Tina Kaidanow coordinator for terrorism at the State Department. Cheng was quoted as saying:

“Terrorism poses a direct threat to the United States, and China has also made fighting terrorist activities as a top priority for maintaining social stability,” So while increased cooperation is a good thing, the question is whether differences in the perception of what constitutes terrorism will ever be eliminated.

 China sees its biggest domestic threat from Uighur Jihadists, namely the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).  A series of railway station attacks to include bombing and knifings in Urumqi, Kunming and Guangzhou are clear evidence of terrorism from the Chinese point of view. Moreover, China accuses the US of having a “double standard” as far as terrorism is concerned in not condemning these attacks as terrorist acts. The U.S. has viewed China’s problems with its minorities as “human rights” issues, further alienating the Chinese side. China feels it has given the US its support in its counter-terrorism, but that reciprocity has not been forthcoming. So the July meetings are a good sign, a further step in the right direction.

 China in the 21st century will have to continue to make alliances with friends and neighbors around the globe to deal with terrorism both locally and globally. And many countries will have to get used to having the Middle Kingdom as their new friend and ally in the battle.

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2014-07/17/content_17818028.htm