While Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is in the United States discussing U.S. military strikes across Pakistan’s border, army chief General Ashfaq Kayani is on a far less publicised trip to China to talk about defence cooperation. The timing may be coincidental, but the potential implications of the United States and China playing competing roles in Pakistan are huge.
Pakistan has always seen China as a much more reliable friend, while support from Washington has waxed and waned in line with U.S. interests (Islamabad has never quite forgiven the United States for using it to fight the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and then dropping it when the Russians were driven out in 1989.)
And nowadays the difference in the approaches of Pakistan’s two giant allies is even more striking. While the United States and Pakistan argue about U.S. cross-border strikes, China has quietly reaffirmed its commitment to keeping Pakistan stable.
In a condolence message sent after this weekend’s Marriott Hotel bombing, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said, “As a good neighbour and all-time friend of Pakistan, China will always support the unremitting efforts made by the government and people of Pakistan to safeguard the country’s stability.”
Of course there is no reason to jump to the conclusion the United States and China will become outright rivals over Pakistan — both have a stake in Pakistan’s stability, and in the past both have managed to maintain close ties with Islamabad without tripping over each other. But the current scenario certainly increases the chances of friction.
Add to that the fact that the strategic picture in South Asia has changed dramatically under the Bush administration. The United States has rewritten its relationship with India — which was still seen as in the Soviet camp back in the days of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan –turning it into a crucial ally in Asia and potential bulwark against Chinese influence. It sealed that transformation by reaching a deal with India effectively recognising it as a nuclear power, ignoring any misgivings in China (India’s nuclear weapons programme was developed as much, if not more, as a defence against China as against Pakistan.)
So it will be interesting to see what Kayani brings back from China and Zardari from the United States in the way of promises of support. Will the United States and China be able to work together to pull Pakistan out of its current crisis? Or are they drifting into a situation where they end up opposing each other?
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[...] do we make of the fact that Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani made his first visit to China, while President Asif Ali Zardari went to the United [...]
- Posted by China, Pakistan and India « Defencedebates’s WeblogWhoooaaaa cowboy Uncle Sam whoooaaaaa
- Posted by IndianUncle sam, you think India will support Us since it got into a nuclear deal… In few weeks time by the time our PM comes back he will get similar deals done with France and Russia(Cold war enemy of US). You know something India never supported any country blindly(not even USSR which was sole reason India developed techly). India will always offer issue based support. Go verify the facts in history. US which condemned the attacks of Russia on Georgia somehow was sleeping when Georgia was attacking south Ossetia. You speak of democracy and create dictators like the Taliban and Mushraff. You criticize Iran for its nuclear programme(Which I agree is doing a mistake after signing NPT) and dont even look at Israel which might be doing the same thinkg under cover and aid it in developing missile tech. I do not say India is perfect nor US is completelty bad(US has very good people who are being misled by their politicians).Every country has to learn from the other one issue or the other. No country can be perfect as long as there is corruption everywhere. But India has the history of being led by great leaders (like Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhai patel, Rajiv Gandhi and not the least our Manmohan singh) and its stance on Democracy and secularism which I feel should expand all over the world and everyone should live in peace and happiness
- Posted by RameshBoth India and Pakistan poor and corrupt countries …anything for money.
- Posted by Uncle SamWell double standard of India ?…Yes back off from IPI multibillion project , help US to pass resolution against Iran. Sending 15,000 troops to Afghanistan when EU countries refuse to contribute further more.
- Posted by Uncle SamWell said Rajendra…. holy books and texts of all the religions have been manipulated to suit the leader or king which is now visible in christian(some leaders of US who say “Our god is greater than yours”), Hindu (our great Bharatiya Janata Party who say India is a hindu country… which was centuries back and demolish mosques and churches) and finally to the islamic world (who recognise only muslims as people who hearts only feel the suffering muslims around the world and sont care of the rest). There is lot in this world which one can see only if they come out of the mask of religion (best described in the Indian constitution which though is ideal and not followed correctly because of the worst politicians that our country has).
- Posted by RameshIslam has been a great unifying force. Jihadis have been created through Islamic doctrines. Priests of every possible religion have fooled their believers and Islam is no exception. We Hindus have taken a very long time to get out of grips of our Brahman priests and I suppose same is true for Christians. Islam is a relatively young religion and I am sure Muslims will also come out of the grips of their Mullahs who promise heaven to young Muslims and whom they take on the path of terror. Muslims need sympathy more than anything. Muslims have to learn how to question their religious preachers. Everything they speak is not the word of Allah.
- Posted by Rajendra KumarDanish Khan
- Posted by Indianwhat are your country’s “interests”….. Terrorism?
Dear reddy,
- Posted by Danish Khan” These pakistanis are exactly that. Zardari in US and Kayani in China—————for what???????? ”
1. what abt ur(india’s) double standard… one hand with Russia and other with US….
We are their for exactly the same reason as u were in Russia in (50’s to 90s) and now its US and Israel instead of Russia…. grow up and before putting ur figure on Pakistan check ur own track record… realize that we all are looking for partners which serve our country’s interest… ur welcome to try out ur propaganda against Pak and China….