China-Pakistan relations

A strategic courtship with China is necessary, but Pakistan also needs the U.S. to address its economic and security challenges.

A new discourse has emerged that China-Pakistan relations are in trouble, but that idea is not backed up by facts. 

China’s foreign minister made an unusually blunt demand for stability during his recent trip. Days later, Pakistan’s political unrest entered a new phase.

Pakistan wants a more stable relationship with India, but “that doesn’t mean it wants to pursue reconciliation.”

China has been demanding more security from Pakistan for its nationals residing and working in the Islamic country for a few years now.

The incident could reinforce existing concerns about Chinese workers' safety in Pakistan, and a pull-out by China could be disastrous for Pakistan's economy.

For all the right statements and claims of the unbreakable, iron-clad relationship between Beijing and Islamabad, there was very little substance to Sharif’s trip.

The two sides agreed to launch the $10-billion high-speed Karachi-Peshawar rail project and President Xi promised Pakistan help in dealing with its financial crisis.

While perceptions of China have soured in many parts of the world, very few Pakistanis have anything but positive sentiments toward Beijing.

It has promised to pay $200 million to four Chinese power producers but that is just a fraction of the money owed to China.

India has raised objections to the possibility of China and Pakistan involving third countries in the CPEC.