OPINION: Saudi, Turkey Unmoved By Chinese Muslims’ Predicament

It is hardly any secret that in their decision to boycott the recent G-20 summit on tourism, held in Srinagar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey designed to reach out to Muslims in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, and provoke them against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's 2019 decision to integrate the region fully into the Indian Union. One, however, finds there are few takers for their designs.

Observers say ours is an age of technology. The Muslim masses, like other religious ones, in India, are increasingly exposed to the communication revolution in the world. They know theirs is a secular nation. It allows everybody equal right to practise their faith. While India is constitutionally secular, its successive dispensations at the Centre as well as in the states have jealously promoted the Muslim interests, even at the cost of other communities. The Muslims in India know the Modi government's decision on Jammu and Kashmir has been in the interest of all-inclusive development in the region.

The observers say the Muslims in India must be aware that India has been committed to upholding all human rights abroad. Today, the whole world knows of the current oppression of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in China's north-western region of Xinjiang. The United States has labelled it a 'genocide'. India wants all the rights of the Muslim minorities in China should be "respected and guaranteed."

In contrast, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have largely been silent over the predicament of the Muslims in China. They have had little interest in the welfare of the Uighur Muslims. Saudi Arabia is too focused on its growing ties with communist China to oppose what the latter is doing to its Muslims.

Riyadh and Beijing are having a special liking for each other. The reasons for this are not far to seek. China has granted Saudi Arabia the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). It may eventually give the kingdom full membership of the SCO.

In March this year, Beijing mediated a landmark agreement between Saudi Arabia and the latter's archfoe Iran. Saudi Arabia today is China's biggest supplier of crude. China is its biggest destination of oil exports. Saudi Arabia has recently announced a $3.6-billion deal to buy 10 per cent of China's Rongsheng Petrochemical.

Besides, Riyadh today is interested in procuring arms and ammunition from China. Saudi Arabia is the world's biggest defence spender. It sources weapons from a variety of countries, mostly from the US. Riyadh is now looking to diversify its weapons sources. In 2022, Saudi Arabia bought $4 billion worth of weapons from China. Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) is currently in talks with China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco) to buy weapons ranging from reconnaissance drones to air defence systems. The weapons involved in the potential deal are said to include the Sky Saker FX80 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the CR500 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV, the Cruise Dragon 5 and 10 - two types of loitering munitions, better known as suicide drones - and the HQ-17AE short-range air defence (SHORAD) system.

Pertinently, the United States is still the world's top weapons exporter. The world's five largest arms exporters in 2018-22 were the United States, Russia, France, China and Germany. Together, they supplied 76 per cent of the world's arms exports. China has now emerged as an alternative supplier. It is willing to sell hi-tech weapons equipment to all its friendly nations without political terms.

The approach of Turkey towards Chinese Muslim minorities is more or less the same. Ankara gives priority to its increasing cooperation with Beijing. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chinese supremo Xi Jinping get on very well. Erdogan visited China in 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2019. Presidents Xi and Erdogan showed a rare bonhomie between them at the G20 summits in Antalya in 2015, Hangzhou in 2016, Buenos Aires in 2018 and Osaka in 2019.

The China-Turkey trade volume stood at around $24 billion in 2020. Cooperation between Turkey and China has been developing in the Belt and Road Initiative project. Turkey has already completed its Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project. Its first export train to China, via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, departed from Istanbul and reached Xi'an in December, 2020.

Besides, Turkey today is upbeat over an increasing number of Chinese citizens visiting the country. According to an estimate, the number of Chinese tourists to Turkey rose from 1,67,570 in 2016 to 4,26,344 in 2019.

The observers conclude Saudi Arabia and Turkey are unmoved by Chinese Muslims' predicament. The enlightened international community must take cognisance of it and reach out to the Muslim minorities in China.

(Jagdish N. Singh is a senior journalist based in New Delhi. He is also Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, New York)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of OneIndia and OneIndia does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.