Hu lands today, Delhi hopes Beijing will be even-handed on J&K

China, in turn, will seek renewed assurances that New Delhi has no intention to play the Tibet card against it.

Amidst a new diplomatic play on the old themes of Kashmir and Tibet, China`s increasing economic activity in the parts of J&K controlled by Pakistan, and the lack of balance in Beijing’s approach to PoK and Indian Kashmir have become important concerns for the Indian government.

At a time when the UPA Government is engaged in sensitive and ‘‘purposeful’’ talks on Kashmir with Pakistan, the role of China, which is in control of different parts of the original state of J&K, has inevitably acquired a new significance.

New Delhi’s attitude to Tibet has also become important amidst the on-going ‘‘unofficial’’ Chinese talks with the representatives of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans who took political refuge in India more than four decades ago.

When he visited New Delhi and Islamabad exactly a decade ago, Chinese President Jiang Zemin offered an important advance in Beijing`s position on J&K.

After decades of a political tilt towards Pakistan, including the support for Kashmiri self-determination and the UN resolutions on J&K, Jiang suggested in a speech to the Pak Senate that New Delhi and Islamabad should put aside their dispute and embark on mutually beneficial cooperation.

During the Kargil War between India and Pakistan in the summer of 1999 and the military confrontation during 2001-02, China maintained a measure of political neutrality.

While India took note of the new Chinese approach, it has reasons to worry about Hu’s plans to announce new economic projects in Northern Areas and Pak Occupied Kashmir when he travels to Islamabad later this week.

As it began to publicly revive its position that Northern Areas are part of J&K, India has a natural issue with the modernisation and upgradation of the Sino-Pak transport corridor across a territory that New Delhi claims to be its own.

Equally troublesome is the different political treatment that China gives to Indian Kashmir. Even as its expand their presence in PoK and Northern Areas, China is not willing to acknowledge India’s control over parts of J&K.

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