Where Is the China-Pakistan Relationship Heading—Strategic Partnership or Conditional Engagement?

Abstract

Andrew Small's book The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia's New Geopolitics provides a fascinating account of Sino-Pakistani all-weather friendship, covering various facets of this relationship. This is a substantial contribution to existing debate on subject. Small very eloquently explains both countries' perceptions and understandings of each other and reveals complexities and conditionality of bilateral relationship. An additional strength of book lies in author's use of primary sources to substantiate his various arguments. Yet while book covers various aspects of China-Pakistan relations, in my view this can at best be characterized as strategic and instrumental in nature.The China-Pakistan partnership is one of long-standing relationships in region, one that continues to grow stronger in an era that is witnessing significant changes at regional and international levels. However, Beijing's approach and strategy to engagement with Islamabad has changed over years as China's economic and military influence continues to grow. Recently, ties have been further deepened by China's huge financial commitment to infrastructure development projects in Pakistan as part of new China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is connected to Beijing's ambitious One Belt, One Road initiative. views Pakistan as an important neighbor with a geostrategic location, having landroute access to Persian Gulf and occupying an important position in Islamic world. Pakistan's key role in facilitating normalization of relations has also been acknowledged by Chinese leadership. Former Chinese president Hu Jintao's statement that China can give up gold but not its friendship with Pakistan1 and President Xi Jinping's statement that China and Pakistan are good neighbors, good friends, partners and brothers and that the friendship between two countries is deeply rooted and unbreakable2 are indicative of China's long-term commitment to Pakistan. This aspect of is well captured in The China-Pakistan Axis.The first chapter of book looks at India as a key factor in formation of China-Pakistan friendship during early years. Here, Small provides a comprehensive account of how developed between two countries over three crucial wars (the 1962 Sino-Indian War, 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, and 1971 Indo-Pakistani War). The book rightly argues thatChina and Pakistan have never been treaty allies and their armies come from such radically different traditions that two sides have often talked past each other on matters of strategy. But after Pakistan's devastating defeat (in 1971), helped country to develop a set of military capabilities to ensure that it would never face same fate again. (p. 3)To enhance Pakistan's military capabilities, fully backed and supported Pakistan's nuclear ambitions through close cooperation, making Pakistan only nuclear weapons country in Islamic world. The central motive was to neutralize India's nuclear weapons.The second chapter presents a fascinating narrative account of this nuclear cooperation. Small depicts China's role in helping Pakistan obtain nuclear weapons and nuclear-capable missiles by supplying not only technology but also necessary expertise and materials, including highly enriched uranium. Small correctly notes that if military lies at heart of China-Pakistan ties, nuclear weapons lie at heart of military relationship (p. 29). But most interesting dimension explained in book is what this actually has meant both for Pakistani military and for its Chinese counterpart. When Pakistani foreign minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto traveled to in 1965 to tell leaders there that India had built a plutonium plant and ask them to help Pakistan build a similar one, suggested that Pakistan get assistance from Canada. …