Exploring the China-Pakistan Relationship. Roundtable Report

Abstract

Abstract : China's friendly relations with Pakistan are rooted in a shared suspicion of and uneasy history with India. The relationship has a strong military component and a growing economic dimension. PRC investments in Pakistan are driven by China's demand for energy and natural resources, and Pakistan's need for infrastructure to accommodate the development of both. China's investments in the Gwadar deep sea port, the Karakoram Highway, and planned rail lines have the potential to help development in landlocked western China by providing it with an ocean access. Still, as China's investments have grown, they have made Beijing more vulnerable to extremist threats in Pakistan. China-Pakistan relations face new challenges in the 21st century, where their interests may not always align. These challenges include the two countries' dissimilarly focused counter-terror concerns, the demands of economic globalization, and an expanded U.S. regional presence. The United States and China share common existential interests in Pakistan, but have neither the same threat assessment nor the same hierarchy of priorities. This, plus Beijing's propensity for bilateral action, means that U.S.-China coordination on issues involving Pakistan will remain difficult. But there are good possibilities for U.S. actions, aid, and infrastructure investments that would complement Chinese investments.