President Joe Biden cold shouldered Prime Minister Imran Khan and declined even to have a telephonic interaction with him. Pakistan’s new ambassador to the USA is still waiting for the State Department’s agreement to the appointment. And now suddenly a State Department spokesman maintains that Pakistan is still a strategic partner. It is reportedly for the first time in years that the USA has emphasised its strategic partnership with Pakistan. The statement comes on the event of Mr Khan’s visit to China. Or is the sudden eruption of bonhomie caused by India’s refusal to toe the US line on Ukraine and a missile deal with Russia? The USA is definitely not prepared for a continuous decline in South Asia.
Scared at China emerging as an economic and financial superpower, the USA is keen to block Beijing’s way and do whatever it takes. Washington is trying to create war hysteria by raising the bogey of China as a military threat. Unable to beat China economically, the USA has started to create regional blocs to take on China. Beginning with NATO allies the Biden Administration has worked hard on Japan, Australia and India to bring them together in a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue as a part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, which is aimed at taking on China, by force if required.
It is not an easy task. China’s offer of Belt and Road initiative, with CPEC as its marquee project, has a lot of attraction for many countries, including Pakistan, as it is seen as a vital initiative promising inter-connectivity and economic development. The USA has promised a similar project but it has not yet gone beyond planning. The USA is keen to use India as a regional hegemon, a role New Delhi is willing to accept. But this creates problems for India inside the country as well as in the region. Despite close relationship with the USA, India is keen to maintain defense ties with Russia. What’s more Indian industry is unwilling to allow unhindered access to US goods.
Pakistan needs to further strengthen its relations with China which has helped Pakistan through thick and thin. This should by no means lead to estrangement with the USA. It benefits neither China nor Pakistan to revert to a situation typical of the Cold War era.
