Rashid A Mughal
THE global political and economic events are changing fast. Natural calamities, like Covid-19, climate change, floods, hurricanes have become more frequent and severe. Man made ego-centric policies, protectionist agenda, lack of or short-vision, rising inter-faith hatred, escalating race disharmony, spiralling rich-poor gap, increasing use of money for funding poor countries as an arm twisting tool, deliberately creating conflicts to make blocs and areas of influence, promoting arms manufacturing industries by resorting to covert operations, plotting changes regime in various countries of the world by creating civil strife and unrest and above all, a total disregard of human values and lives appears to be order of day. Humans are around but humanity has disappeared.
If we look at the history of the past one hundred years, we find countless examples of what has been going on. The poor and weak were the victims of hegemony of rich and powerful and they exploited the resources and the people of such countries with impunity and at will. Thus colonizing the weaker and poorer countries by pursuing imperialist vision was the preferred methodology. European countries were in the fore-front in bringing overseas countries in Asia and Africa under their control during the 15th-18th century. If we look at the history, starting from the Greek-Roman times, we find that there was a deep-rooted and inherent desire in kings, emperors and rulers to bring as much area and people under their control and domination as possible to expand their rule, control the resources of poor and weak countries and bring their people under control. This was for political and economic reasons. Carthage is one of the best examples of advent of this imperialistic trend. World thought that after centuries of ups and downs, rise and fall of kingdoms, bloody wars, persistent conflicts between nations the trend would end but it remained a wishful thinking. In modern times, after the end of World War II, people thought that evil is nipped in the bud but it was perhaps a short-lived happiness. Instead of “Hot War”, we saw a period of “Cold War” between the East and the West for over four decades. The mistrust and bellicosity between the two blocs never ended. It only turned from visible to invisible and perhaps longest in terms of time and duration. Presently we are living in that era. Confrontation, confusion, chaos has come to stay while the world stands divided. Within countries, polarization has escalated and seeds of deep mistrust firmly planted. The latest US elections have proved it beyond any doubt. Africa continues to be caught in never ending poverty, tribal/clan bloody clashes, famines and corruption and Asia has become a hot bed of another tussle for supremacy between China and USA where the latter has stationed its fleet-more or less permanently and building alliances with India, Japan, South Korea and other smaller countries in the region to disturb the otherwise peaceful atmosphere. What shared future do we have it this fractured world which seem to be heading for dooms day.
Currently Asia and particularly China’s BRI Initiative and CPEC, under which $54 Billion Chinese investment in Pakistan and development of Gwadar Port, are in focus of great powers and Pakistan’s hostile neighbours and all efforts are being made to sabotage the project as according to them this will not only increase Chinese influence and clout in the region but will bring prosperity in Pakistan which they envy. Ever increasing US presence in South China Sea and various defence related and intelligence sharing agreements with Pakistan’s arch-rival India are parts of that sinister agenda.
The South China Sea is a vast area measuring more than double the size of the Gulf of Mexico. It takes a modern warship over three days to sail at top speed of 30 knots from its Northern edge at Taiwan to the Southern edge at the Strait of Malacca. China’s claim to the sea is based both on the Law of the Sea Convention. This line extends for 2,000 kilometers from the Chinese mainland, encompassing over half of the sea. Currently this area has emerged as another flash point due to tension caused by increased US presence and conducting “friendly” military exercises along with other allies, notably India, which is craving for becoming an Asian “policeman”. China and Pakistan enjoy extremely cordial relations and increasing partnership between the two has angered both US and India. The latter is behind internal disturbances in Pakistan while the former is patting its back to put pressure on Pakistan to shun CPEC. The plan is so very obvious. Countries claiming parts of the South China Sea cannot agree who owns the Paracel and Spratly islands. China asserts its sovereignty based on evidence from ancient times, as well as more recent claims from 1902-1939. Japan occupied the islands during the Second World War and later recognised the claim of the Republic of China, (now Taiwan), in a 1952 peace treaty. Then there is the broader question of China’s larger claim to the waters within the u-shaped “nine-dash” line. This line, which skirts the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Vietnam, was first drawn by the nationalist government of China in 1947.
The real reason behind the tension is that US is apprehensive of China’s spectacular economic rise since last twenty years. China has already overtaken USA in terms of global GDP and exports in 2020 and is on its way to assume world leadership which USA has been enjoying since World War-II. America suffered the most in “four-year” Trump Presidency due to his irrational, unwise and short-sighted policies. Such policies harmed America more than it caused any dent in China’s rise as global economic power. In a recent interview by former US President, Barrack Obama, claimed that the last four-year, Trump presidency has done immense harm to America which no other President has done. He has also annoyed his European allies by following a hawkish and confrontational approach on various issues. Uncle Sam is actively engaged in containing Chinese might in partnership with India but it will remain a wishful thinking. Pakistan-China partnership is not only growing fast but is destined to be an example in itself.
— The writer is former DG (Emigration) and consultant ILO, IOM.
