Umar Khalid Dar
The notion that there are no permanent friends or enemies in international relations-only permanent interests-is a widely accepted principle in geopolitics. I would argue that interests are also not permanent, and they shift in the sands of time. The only constant interest is survival; everything else is subject to change. The geopolitics in South Asia exemplifies this dynamic.
As India and the USA sign a ten-year defence pact, providing India with enhanced military collaboration, intelligence sharing, and access to advanced defence technologies, the hostile Taliban regime in Afghanistan tilts power dynamics in South Asia against Pakistan. Islamabad must ponder these developments and rethink its strategic alliances, and its relationship with superpowers must face scrutiny. Battle cries emanating from India and Afghanistan need to be addressed before it is too late.
Let there be no doubt that Pakistan needs China’s support for its survival.
I will forward my opinion by delving into the historical and contemporary events to conclude that the Sino-Pak relationship has been the cornerstone for Pakistan’s existence, whereas the USA has always “used and ditched” Pakistan.
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognise the People’s Republic of China and voted to grant China a seat in the United Nations. The border disputes between the two countries were amicably resolved in 1963. Whereas China’s relationship with India was bitter from the beginning, resulting in a series of border skirmishes, especially after the 1959 Tibet unrest, when India granted asylum to the Dalai Lama. The relations deteriorated further, leading to a war in 1962, which resulted in India’s defeat.
In 1965, during the Indo-Pakistan war, China came to Pakistan’s assistance by giving an ultimatum to India and mobilising its forces to ease the pressure on Pakistan’s western front. Whereas the USA stabbed Pakistan by putting an arms embargo on both India and Pakistan, despite Pakistan being a member of SEATO. This embargo threatened Pakistan’s existence, as the equipment used by Pakistan, unlike India’s, was predominantly American. Thus, for the first time, the common perception emerged in Pakistan of China being its national saviour and the USA an unreliable ally.
The perception strengthened when, in 1971, the USA’s seventh fleet never came to Pakistan’s rescue despite several requests, resulting in the dismemberment of Pakistan. At the time, China was helpless in supporting Pakistan because of the Russian build-up on its frontiers on the behest of India. Nevertheless, China supported Pakistan by vetoing Bangladesh’s entry into the United Nations, and only allowed it when Pakistan itself recognised Bangladesh.
In 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test, and when Pakistan sought its own nuclear weapons capability, the USA imposed sanctions on Pakistan. Whereas China continued its role as a major arms supplier to Pakistan. China even helped Pakistan in building many arms factories, as well as supplying complete weapons systems.
The USA again severed its ties and imposed sanctions on Pakistan after the withdrawal of the Soviet forces from Afghanistan in 1989. Under the 1990 Pressler Amendment, the deliveries of major military equipment to Pakistan ceased. During these tough times, the Islamabad-Beijing arms relationship was further strengthened. China once again proved to be our “all-weather friend” and perhaps our most important strategic ally.
Following the 9/11 attacks, the USA invaded Afghanistan, and Pakistan became a major non-NATO ally and played a crucial role by supporting the US-led “Global War on Terrorism”. However, after the USA’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, it again dumped Pakistan and imposed sanctions on four entities in Pakistan involved in the development of the country’s ballistic missiles. Whereas China has not only provided strategic military support to Pakistan during these times, but also invested heavily in Pakistan under its flagship project, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. One of the most significant projects is the construction of the major seaport at Gwadar, located on the Arabian Sea. Gwadar hampered India’s ability to achieve a naval blockade of Pakistan during the 4-day war in May 2025. Moreover, as per media reports, Chinese satellites and signals intelligence assisted Pakistan J10C fighter jets to shoot down seven Indian jets, as well as helped Pakistan in tracking Indian troop and missile movements. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 81% of Pakistan’s arms imports between 2019 and 2024 came from China, which proved crucial in defeating Indian aggression.
Having examined the historical facts, Pakistan needs to align its foreign policy towards China and not towards the USA. The recent perception of ignoring China or giving America preference needs to be curbed. The Indo-US defence pact and India’s announcement of establishing an embassy in Kabul, which is harbouring TTP and BLA terrorist groups, are all disturbing news that bodes ill for the region.
The writer is a freelance columnist based in Manchester, UK.
