Lecture: “Terrorism and Chinese National Security”

My notes from a lecture by Andrew Scobell, of the U.S. Army War College, given at American University on 24 January, 2006:

• The largest threat of terrorism to China is not from ethnic separatists but from alienated Han Chinese workers in cities and rural farmers
• While China has long ignored the threat of terrorism, and still considers itself to be a low risk as a foreign terror target, it has recently begun to use terrorism to advance its own national interests, especially since 9/11/01

1. Internal Security:
   *Short term threat: Social stability: Often portrayed by the government as arising primarily from ethnic separatists, but in reality alienated Han who are being left out of China’s rise represent more of the violence
   
   *Han terrorism strikes at the heart of Communist power, because Han cannot be excluded as ethnic minorities can
   
   *2008 Olympics: Keeping a good image is crucial
   
   *Long term threat: Capitalist democracy threatens Communists power
   
   
2. Asia Neighborhood:
   Central Asia: China tries to be on good terms with all its neighbors
   
   *China is worried about possible Uygur influence from Central Asia into Xinjiang
   
   *The Shanghai Cooperation Organization brings together China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
   
   *The PLA of China held their first ever international war games with Kyrgyzstan in joint anti-terrorism practice
   
   *China will provide US$150 million to Afghanistan in aid
   
   South Asia:
   *Pakistan: Relations have historically been good, and they are China’s strategic gateway into the Muslim world
   
   *India: Relations have been rocky but getting better, and good relations are needed to control the Tibet problem, since the Dalai Lama is in India
   
   *However, Tibet has been more peaceful than the Uygurs, so the primary focus for Beijing is in Xinjiang
   
   
3. Global Challenges:
   *China has helped in the war on terror, and Sino-US relations have benefited
   
   *Axis of Evil: After the Iraq invasion, China worried that the US would next invade North Korea
   
   *Since this was dangerous for China, Beijing became much more involved in the Six-Party diplomatic talks with Pyongyang
   
   *China remains very suspicious of US intentions in the world