China did not like Musharraf letting the US use bases and didn't like the listening posts. They were not cooperative in this war. Musharaf did it despite China.
They have big plans for Gwadar and don't want the US anywhere near.
Bush goes to China next month for an overnight in Beijing.
Above from your link. Pasni is right next to Gwadar. The ChiComs especially do not like the listening posts.
We will have to see what happens.
Bin Laden is probably in Pakistan, so this is all quite significant.
Thanks.
By Jawed Naqvi
NEW DELHI, Jan 14: China said on Monday that it welcomed the easing of military tensions between India and Pakistan, virtually overshadowing separate remarks by Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes who asserted his country would not pullback troops from the border until Islamabad took some practical steps to stop cross-border terrorism in Kashmir.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told reporters that the military build-up between India and Pakistan was discussed between visiting Chinese premier Zhu Rongji and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. She said the two leaders also exchanged their perceptions on President Pervez Musharraf's address on Saturday.
"We in China believe it indicates a resolve to fight terrorism," Zhang said, adding that India's reaction to the globally applauded address had been equally encouraging. "The positive attitude of the two countries is something we welcome."
Asked to comment on the Chinese perception of the still existing tensions between India and Pakistan, a Chinese official accompanying Zhu told Dawn that the war clouds had thinned and both countries appeared keen to resolve their disputes peacefully.
Zhang declined to comment on China's possible stance should a war become inevitable. "This is a presumption that we do not share."
She said Zhu had congratulated Vajpayee for a positive outcome of the recent Saarc summit in Kathmandu, and he hoped that this would help foster closer regional cooperation among the South Asian countries.
Some Chinese leaders have been previously quoted as suggesting an approach to resolve the Kashmir issue along the lines of the Sino-Indian boundary question, thereby keeping the talks on the dispute separate from other bilateral issues. Zhang said such a recipe could be suggested by Beijing to resolve its own problems with its neighbours but it would not present it as a model to be followed.
In his banquet address to welcome Zhu, Vajpayee did mention the progress made on the boundary question with China. "The good progress in the clarification and confirmation of the Line of Actual Control signals this intention," he told Zhu.
GEORGE FERNANDES: More than the pleasant conversation between Zhu and Vajpayee that got extended because of their "pleasant and involved interaction" beyond the stipulated time, what had clearly pleased the Chinese was that Defence Minister George Fernandes, a known China-baiter, was kept in good check. So were the thousands of Tibetan refugees who were prevented by police from staging black flag demonstrations against Zhu's visit.
Zhang declined to comment on Fernandes' stated reluctance to pull back Indian troops from the border with Pakistan. But the Chinese stance was clearly one of confidence that Fernandes' comments not withstanding, the war-like situation in its neighbourhood had abated.
Fernandes said on Monday that mobilisation of the armed forces along the Pakistan-India border is complete and any de-escalation would take place "only after cross-border terrorism is effectively stopped".
Talking to reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club on the eve of his six-day visit to the US, Fernandes said: "Our forces are fully prepared for any eventuality."
The word eventuality was also used by President Musharraf's spokesman in Kathmandu, who said that China had promised to standby Islamabad in case of any eventuality. Zhang declined to comment on where the word stood in Beijing's current equation with both key neighbours.
Fernandes stressed that India wanted to settle outstanding disputes with Pakistan through peaceful negotiations but if that failed, it could explore other options.
Fernandes said New Delhi would give time to Gen Musharraf to translate his announcement to fight terrorism on the ground. He said that the Indian people were "fed up" with terrorist attacks, which he said were sponsored from across the border.
Stating that New Delhi had launched an intense diplomatic initiative to inform the world about the menace of cross-border terrorism, he said the build-up on the border after the Dec 13 attack on Parliament was "in response to the activity on the other side".
"A permanent solution to the menace of terrorism has to be found. India will not accept terrorism in any form or manifestation and it will be fought and defeated," he said, adding that the current status of Pakistan-India ties would prominently figure during his wide-ranging parleys with the US leadership.
Referring to the recent shelling in Kargil sector, Drass and Mushkoh Valley, Fernandes said this was not by terrorists but by the Pakistani army.