China’s Reaction to Mumbai Terror Strikes: Pro-Pakistan Bias?

http://www.c3sindia.org/terrorismandsecurity/434

Alarming news from the Chinese policy makers -


"The main current in the opinions of China analysts seems to be in favour of preventing by China of a fourth India-Pakistan war. This being so, options for China if a war breaks out, are also being discussed, which include support to Pakistan and launching a diversionary attack in the Sino-Indian border to put pressure on India.
‘China can firmly support Pakistan’ in the event of a war, says an analysis (CIISS, 4 December 2008), adding that while the latter could benefit from its military cooperation with China while fighting India, the PRC may have the option of resorting to a ‘strategic military action in Southern Tibet to thoroughly liberate the people there’. A write-up next day (CIISS, 5 December 2008) has been more categorical; it says that an India-Pakistan war will not be in China’s strategic interests and that Beijing-Islamabad alliance is meant to give advantages to the PRC on the Sino- Indian border issue. In the context of a possible war, it stresses the importance of the ongoing China-Pakistan cooperation to link Kashmir with China through the Karakorum highway project, an expansion programme for which was announced on 16 November 2008. Stating that during the second India-Pakistan war, China had lent its support to Pakistan, but the same did not happen in the third conflict due to constraints that arose in China due to the Cultural Revolution factor, the comment declares that this time, the PRC would like to ‘display its capacity to influence’.