| | | | | important geo strategic alliance of the region by |
| China has common history with Central Asia. In | | | | drawing joint programmes for security, economic |
| distant past, china was linked through silk route | | | | reforms political settlements and other agendas of |
| with Central Asia and entire trade with Europe, | | | | significance. Many nearby countries like Pakistan, |
| and other regions was conducted through silk | | | | India, Mongolia, South Korea and Iran made |
| route. When Islam entered in the lives of Central | | | | efforts to join the forum where as Uzbekistan |
| Asian people the whole central Asia came under | | | | stressed for obtaining full membership. Next |
| Muslim rule. In those days the region was called | | | | summit meeting was held in Jun 2001 in which the |
| Turkistan and also included the area which is now | | | | requests of these countries were considered. 29 |
| a province of china, in the name of Xingjian, | | | | Bu consensus full membership was allowed to |
| therefore ancient ethnic and religious links exist | | | | Uzbekistan while the requests of other countries |
| between China and Central Asian States. Due to | | | | were declined. The forum again changed its |
| common borders with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and | | | | name as Shanghai co-operation organization. The |
| Kazakhstan, spread over 300 miles the in | | | | leaders of the member countries signed a new |
| habitants on both sides remain in close contact. | | | | security co-operation pact and pledged to increase |
| In the present circumstances, the role of china | | | | trade and investment between the member |
| may remain unpredictable to both America and | | | | countries. However the main concern of the |
| Russia but it is most probable that China will be | | | | participants remained the same which the host |
| most important player in the Central Asian Region | | | | president Jiang Zemin said after the new pact |
| in future. Since the independence of Central Asian | | | | was sighed that joint efforts will be made to fight |
| States in 1991 China has built close bilateral trade | | | | against the forces of terrorism, separatism and |
| and investment connections to create and | | | | extremism. The leaders pledged to speed up the |
| increase its sphere of influence. China always | | | | development and working at anti terrorism |
| evolves long term policies and sticks to them until | | | | centre at Bishkek, the capital of |
| their maturity and success. | | | | Kyrgyzstan.mean time China had started to |
| Major concern of China with regard to Central | | | | provide military aid to Central Asian States to |
| Asia has been the activities of guerillas of Islamic | | | | enable them to fight against Islamic movement of |
| Movement of Uzbekistan and Taliban trained | | | | Uzbekistan. During the years 2000 and 2001 china |
| uighur Islamic militants of Xinjiang province which | | | | provided the technical and military assistance of |
| are growing political unrest by means of guerilla | | | | the worth 1.3 million dollars each. Then china also |
| activities in Chinese territories and attacks on | | | | agreed to provide funds for constructing of |
| Chinese security forces. Throughout the last | | | | bunkers and houses for border guards of |
| decade of 20th century the main strategic aim of | | | | Kyrgyzstan. China was providing assistance to |
| China was to ensure that the central Asian | | | | Central Asian States to fight with Islamic |
| governments kept a tight control on the activities | | | | Movement of Uzbekistan, because it was |
| of uighor Islamic militants on their soil as well as | | | | confirmed that Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan |
| keep the uighur minority living in Central Asia to | | | | was undertaking recruiting and training of Uighurs |
| help the separatist uighor militants of Xingjians | | | | in their camps functioning in Northern Afghanistan. |
| province of china. In accordance with the Chinese | | | | As the Uighurs in Xinjeang were already fighting |
| wishes, the Central Asian governments shut down | | | | against China therefore China was convinced that |
| the uighur publications and offices. Moreover the | | | | this trans – national threat can not be stopped |
| uighurs which criticized the Chinese policies were | | | | or controlled at Xinjiang and it was necessary to |
| arrested besides having proper control on borders | | | | destroy the puresat organizations of Islamic |
| to ensure that arms and funds for uighur | | | | Movement of Uzbekistan and Talibans of |
| sepatists are not allowed to reach Xinjiang. | | | | Afghanistan. In fact the militant Uighurs were |
| China's other major strategic interest was to | | | | already involve in fighting Islamic Jehads in 1980s |
| resolve hundreds of territorial disputes with | | | | by traveling to Pakistan to help Afghan |
| Central Asian States which were inherited from | | | | Mujahideans in the war against Russia. So it was in |
| the Tzarist regimes of Russia due to which the | | | | the common interest that appropriate steps be |
| Chinese – Russian relations remained tense. | | | | taken to eradicate the roots of terrorism by joint |
| During the 1990s Chinese set up joint border | | | | efforts. |
| commission with Russia Kazakhstan and | | | | Hundreds of the Uighurs began to study in |
| Kyrgystan and have resolved most of the | | | | Pakistan Madrasas and got battle skills in |
| disputes. However the territorial disputes with | | | | Afghanistan by joining Talibans. Several Uighur |
| Tajikistan have not been resolved. | | | | fighters were capture in Afghanistan by Russian |
| | | | | Aided forces after which China and Pakistan |
| China has a claim on 30% of Tajikistan territory | | | | stressed upon Talibans to remove Uighurs from |
| along their common border in Gorno Badakhshan | | | | the Kabul front. The Talibans handed over the |
| where huge gold deposits have been found. In | | | | services of Uighurs to Islamic Movement of |
| order to settle the territorial disputes China had | | | | Uzbekistan so that they may deny that they are |
| taken its most significant step in Central Asia by | | | | hosting Uighor fighters. |
| convening a summit meeting in 1996 in Shangi of | | | | Chinese policy in Central Asia is intended to up |
| 5 states which share common borders i.e, China, | | | | hold political stability through economic growth. |
| Russia, Tajikistan Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. As | | | | China has the transport links to offer the access |
| a result of this summit meeting a process of | | | | links to Central Asian States which they so badly |
| de-militanisation and demarcation of borders | | | | need. China has also ambitious programmes for |
| started which was a major break through. More | | | | road and pipeline constructions which will free the |
| over an 80 miles vide transparency zone was also | | | | Central Asian States from dependence on Russia |
| created and joint military patrols were proposed | | | | to a great extent. The Chinese connection with |
| to be arranged. The main outcome of the summit | | | | central Asia has resulted in dramatic surges in |
| meeting was the formation of Shanghai-5 which | | | | association of people, goods and services. When |
| became a permanent group having summit | | | | the prime minister of China Li. Peng visited |
| meetings every year. With the passage of time | | | | Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Kazakhstan and |
| the Shanghai – 5 became a wide ranging | | | | Kyrgyzstan in April 1994, he reached an accord |
| military, security and economic pact when the | | | | with Turkmenistan's president Niyazov for |
| annual summit meeting of Shanghai – 5 was | | | | feasibility studies of a new rail road across central |
| held in Bishket, the capital of Kyrgyzstan in 1999, | | | | Asia and a 20 billion dollar pipeline project that will |
| the guerillas of Islamic movement of Uzbekistan | | | | take central Asian oil to china. When these |
| attacked Kyrgyzstan and made four geologists of | | | | projects will be completed, this transcontinental |
| Japan as hostages. The host presidents. Akayev | | | | route will be comparable with Suez and panama. |
| had to face a huge embanassment. That summit | | | | China hopes to use Central Asian market as a |
| meeting became a forum for discussion regarding | | | | catalyst to fuel a new prosperity zone in Xinjiang |
| threat of Islamic militants, drugs and weapons | | | | for foreign investment and revive the silk route |
| which were spreading from Afghanistan and de | | | | to extend Chinese economic interest beyond |
| – stabilizing Central Asian State.When the | | | | central Asia to Europe and Persian Gulf markets. |
| summit meeting ended, a joint declaration was | | | | China expects economic growth in Xinjiang and |
| issued after the signatures of five leaders in which | | | | Central Asia to strengthen the secular minded |
| it was agreed to enhance co-operation in fighting | | | | government of Central Asian states against those |
| international terrorism, illegal drug trade, arms | | | | groups which favour Islamic governments. To |
| trafficking, illegal migration, separatism and religious | | | | achieve the objective, China has enacted a series |
| extremism. It was also pledged to create a | | | | of reforms to boost Xinjiang so that economic |
| multipolar world at the suggestion of Russia to | | | | take off of Central Asia may be possible. In 1992 |
| check American efforts of hegemony. Besides | | | | China granted Aroomchi (the capital of Xinjiang) |
| the summit meeting Chinese president Jiang | | | | the same right to conduct prefential trade policies |
| Zemin and Russian president Bons yeltsin also | | | | which have been granted to coastal regions. |
| arranged a breakfast meeting to broaden | | | | China quickly moved to establish ties with Central |
| strategic partnership between china and Russia | | | | Asian States, when they got independence. |
| were discussed. The out come of the meeting | | | | Kazakhstan and China signed agreements in 1992 |
| has a clear message for the world that China, | | | | in the areas of trade communication, transport, |
| Russia and Central Asian States consider the | | | | scientific and technical co-operation, personal |
| radical Islam as common threat and to counter it | | | | exchanges and establishment of a joint |
| they are prepared to set aside all their | | | | committee for the development of further ties. |
| differences. It was the first time when the | | | | China also extended credit equivalent to 5.7 million |
| Central Asian States sought Chinese military help | | | | dollars to Kyrgyzstan and exported food, clothing, |
| to combat guerillas of Islamic movement of | | | | electronics and other consumer goods. China also |
| Uzbekistan. | | | | provided credit of 5 million yuons to Tajikistan to |
| In the Summit meeting of Shanghi – 5 held at | | | | buy Chinese food and consumer goods besides |
| Dushanbe Uzbekistan was given observer status | | | | providing grant of 500,000 dollars in the shape of |
| although it had no common border with China. As | | | | food and humanitarian aid. China and Uzbekistan |
| such Shanghai – 5 converted into Shanghai | | | | also signed ten co-operative agreements for |
| forum. In this summit meeting it was decided for | | | | further economic projects like joint ventures in |
| the first time to add a military dimension to the | | | | trade and industry. |
| frame work. It was also decided to create a joint | | | | Stability in Central Asia is essential for China |
| centre to counter terrorism to be stationed at | | | | because China is importer of cured oil. The huge |
| Bishket Kyrgyzstan, so that the threat emanating | | | | Chinese industry depends upon stable energy |
| from Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and | | | | resources, domestic stability and constant |
| Talibans of Afghanistan may be countered. | | | | economic growth. Central Asian states possess |
| Gradually this forum had became the most | | | | sufficient oil fields comparable with Middle East. |