China's Strategic Aid Agenda: A Cautionary Tale from PoJK

Amjad Ayub Mirza, a political activist from Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir, criticizes China's involvement in Myanmar's earthquake relief, describing it as part of a broader expansionist agenda. Mirza highlights parallels with China’s tactics in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, emphasizing the strategic implications of Beijing's aid efforts.

Political activist Amjad Ayub Mirza from Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir has criticized China's involvement in Myanmar's earthquake relief, suggesting it embodies a broader expansionist strategy. He noted that China's growing presence in Myanmar resembles its approach in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), where Beijing's influence has been expanding.

Mirza expressed concerns that China's deepened involvement in Myanmar post-earthquake mirrors a pattern of strategic expansion akin to its presence in PoGB. Over the past decade, China has systematically embedded itself into PoGB's economic and political landscape, raising alarms about territorial control and resource exploitation. Mirza highlighted that despite heavy Chinese investment in infrastructure projects in PoGB, local populations see little benefit, as China gains access to valuable mineral resources, leading to protests against exploitation.

Furthermore, Amjad Ayub Mirza alleged that China's increased military presence in the region, supposedly to secure CPEC projects, poses an additional threat. Reports indicate the presence of People's Liberation Army personnel in PoGB, disguised as engineers and security staff, undermining local and Pakistani control. Mirza warned that China's settler policies might alter regional ethnicity, similar to approaches in Tibet and Xinjiang, and emphasized that Pakistan's debt to China limits its ability to counter Beijing's demands.

Calling for caution, Mirza urged Myanmar to scrutinize China's aid efforts to prevent erosion of sovereignty and resource compromise under the guise of humanitarian assistance. He highlighted Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan as a cautionary example of China's transformation of economic partnerships into strategic control. Mirza encouraged the international community to closely monitor China's growing influence in Myanmar to prevent a potential silent territorial and economic takeover by Beijing. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)