Xi Jinping s last minute decision to cancel his Pakistan visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping has decided to cancel visit to Pakistan at last-minute. China officially cited Covid as the reason for postponing the visit. But ET has learnt that Xi wanted to avoid controversy following serious charges of corruption against Pakistan PM aide-cum-chairman of CPEC_ Lieutenant General (retired) Asim Saleem Bajwa. Last Thursday_ Lieutenant General (retired) Bajwa decided to quit from his position as the special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcast. However_ Bajwa said he will continue in his role as the chairman of the China Pakistan Economic Authority (CPEC) Authority. The Chinese authorities postponed Xi s visit on Friday and conveyed it to Pakistan citing Covid as the reason. Bajwa_ who issued a press release last Thursday_ categorically denied allegations of financial misappropriation as a senior military officer over the past two decades. But observers of Pakistan affairs are of the opinion the episode brings into question corrupt practices of Bajwa. The observers claimed that Xi did not want to face any other controversy at this stage when his actions are facing pushback globally. Clearly_ the Chinese know something that the Pakistanis are not revealing about Covid. Pakistan military s own business empire is now worth over $100 billion_ according to watchers of Pak military. Last year Beijing decided to push for a military takeover of CPEC. In November 2019_ the CPEC Authority was formed with Lt. Gen. (retd) Asim Bajwa as its head. In July_ a CPEC Authority Bill 2020 was proposed_ practically handing over the corridor to the army. Since CPEC s launch in 2015_ the military has eyed its share in the economic spoils. Meanwhile_ a US report indicated that China has deep strategic interests in Pakistan_ which will compel both countries to stay engaged than ever before. In its 2020 report to Congress on  Military and Security Developments in China_ the US Department of Defence (DoD) suggested that Pakistan is among a handful of countries where Beijing seeks to enhance both  bilateral and multilateral engagements. The report  published last week  noted that Pakistan is among the countries where China  has likely considered locations for military logistics facilities. The report also claimed that China s Strategic Support Force (SSF) runs tracking_ telemetry_ and command stations in Namibia_ Pakistan_ and Argentina. -Source: Economic Times