Pakistan Unlikely to Deepen U.S. Ties at the Expense of China, Say Chinese Experts

Chinese strategic experts believe that Pakistan will not enhance its relationship with the United States at the cost of its long-standing ties with China. The assessment comes amid recent developments in U.S.–Pakistan relations, including last month’s visit by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Munir, to Washington, where he held meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and other senior officials.

 

According to Chinese analysts, while Munir’s U.S. visit signals an interest in improving bilateral relations, it does not indicate a major shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy. They argue that Islamabad will maintain its close strategic and economic partnership with Beijing, despite exploring avenues of cooperation with Washington.

 

A recent article in The Diplomat suggests that Munir’s interactions with American leaders could influence U.S. foreign policy in South Asia, potentially affecting India, China, and the broader Asia-Pacific region. However, experts caution that Pakistan’s ties with the U.S. will remain limited compared to its deep-rooted alliance with China.

 

Hu Shisheng, Director of the Institute for South Asian Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said that Pakistan will not compromise its relations with China in pursuit of closer engagement with the U.S. “Trump cannot make Pakistan abandon its trusted partner China so easily,” Hu stated, adding that Islamabad’s foreign policy decisions will continue to be shaped by its strategic dependence on Beijing.

 

Similarly, Du Xuesai, a researcher at the South Asia Economic and Cultural Research Center of China, remarked that while Washington may seek to woo Islamabad, the China–Pakistan strategic partnership remains resilient and will not be significantly undermined.

 

Analysts also note that any warming of U.S.–Pakistan ties will need to navigate Pakistan’s longstanding commitments to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other joint initiatives, which remain central to Islamabad’s development agenda.