Chinese paper accuses west of stoking extremism in Middle East

Commentary condemns western countries for arming anti-government movements fighting against Syrian government

Western countries are stoking extremism in the Middle East with their support for anti-government opposition movements, China’s top newspaper has said, repeating a call for non-interference in the region’s turmoil.

China has expressed concern about the rise of Islamic State (Isis) in countries such as Syria and Iraq, nervous about the effect the jihadi group could have on its far-west region of Xinjiang, where Beijing says it faces a threat from Islamist extremists.

But it has also condemned efforts by western countries to arm certain groups fighting against the Syrian government, and has shown no sign of wanting to join US efforts to use military force against Isis.

The People’s Daily, the official paper of China’s ruling Communist party, said moves by the west to support anti-government movements in the Middle East were having the opposite effect.

“The facts prove that by letting jihadists pass unchecked into Syria to join battle has caused the expansion of the extremist group Islamic State,” it said in a commentary.

“This is a classic case of how rearing a tiger will court calamity. The entry of major powers must avoid by all means adding to the chaos.”

The US needed to understand that the enemy of your enemy was still your enemy, the newspaper added.

The article was published under the pen name Zhong Sheng, meaning Voice of China, often used to give views on foreign policy.

But the international community could not just sit by and watch as Isis grew, the commentary said. It needed to play a constructive role and follow the rules of the UN charter. That meant respecting countries’ sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.