Chinese economic growth has been the dominant fact of 21st century international relations and is likely to continue to shape global politics for a long time. Fears of China surpassing the USA as the world’s largest economy have caused stress and anxiety among US policymakers irrespective of whether the Democrats or Republicans are in power. Republican President Donald Trump’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for a ‘new alliance of democracies’ to oppose China. Under Democrat President Joe Biden NATO leaders were persuaded to declare China a global security challenge. Attempts have been made by successive US administrations to embed India in plans to compete with China. The latest attempt to isolate China was by announcing the so-called Democracy Summit which Taiwan was also supposed to attend. Among other countries invited was Philippines, which has the third-lowest index rank of 15 countries in the East Asia & Pacific region for democratic freedom, just above Myanmar. The USA is not known for supporting the rights movements in military-ruled countries or oppressive regimes considered its allies. The Democracy Summit was therefore just a political gimmick aimed at rallying friendly countries to speak against China’s human rights record, its trade practices and its military’s increasingly assertive behavior, that has unnerved US allies in the Pacific.
PM Imran Khan did well not to attend the summit. Pakistan and China have a long history of mutual assistance at times of need. The ongoing China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) worth $62 billion is intended to rapidly upgrade Pakistan’s infrastructure and strengthen its economy by the construction of modern transportation networks, numerous energy projects, and special economic zones. It is rightly referred to as a game changer for Pakistan. China has also helped in enhancing Pakistan’s defence capability. It is highly unrealistic to assume that any government in Pakistan would let down China.
Pakistan has also a long history of good relations with the USA also, which is Pakistan’s largest export destination. Islamabad has also vital economic interests in Washington’s European allies.
While it is unrealistic to hope that Pakistan might bridge gaps between the USA and China, it would be disastrous for it to join any political bloc formed against China or the USA.
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