How Beijing and Islamabad Strengthen the Strategic Axis
The crowded encounter between the Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi and General Asim Munir, who is the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan is another confirmation of the fact that the two states are so much related to the point where they can be described as the iron brothers. In an era of ever-more transactional and elastic alliances, of co-herring and co-hawking, the China-Pakistan alliance is something of a constancy and convergence of strategic outlook exemplar. Beijing and Islamabad The praise by Wang Yi towards efforts by the Pakistan military, especially to the protection of Chinese interests both in terms of personnel and investment, is not mere diplomatic courtesy speech, but it is a feature of the Pakistan Armed Forces as a shield against chaos, and a rock of stability to protect common interests.
To China, Pakistan is an important hub in its regional policy and especially, in the vast context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major BRI project, will be not only economically important but also a strategic one, as it grants the Chinese access to the Arabian Sea. The message that General Munir is sending to China that Pakistan will always have a safe environment where their interests can be maintained fits well into the Chinese calculations since in Beijing economic development is supposed to be accompanied by high level of security provisions so that potential losses are avoided.
Pakistan’s Military in a Strategic Spotlight
The fact that China is now forced to publicly declare its praise of the Pakistan military is a sign of the ever-increasing need for economies in such unstable areas to not only realize the economic value that diplomacy and investment bring, but the actual security value as well. The Pakistani army, which was always a leading actor in the domestic politics of the state, is nowadays established as the key provider of Chinese security priorities in a region. Protection of CPEC routes to countering the threat of extremist groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) have been added to the responsibilities of Pakistan military and these keep getting extended to other national boundaries.
It is necessary to mention that during the last year Beijing has increasingly felt alarmed by the recent wave of assaults directed against Chinese nationals in Pakistan. It even comprises high profile events like Dasu hydroelectric project attack. This close approach with General Munir is not only a way of reassuring because China also wants to remind Pakistan that its military is the institution that cannot be trusted most to safeguard its citizens and projects. This trust is also a developed-on basis other than being written on pieces of paper but is dependent on actual operational collaboration such as exchanges of intelligence, and special anti-terrorism actions.
Ironclad Brotherhood Tested and Proved
It is not a rhetorical claim to say that the Sino-Pak relationship can be best described as the kind of relationship that is characterized by an ironclad brotherhood, the same has been put to test by wars, economic tribulations, as well as varying geopolitical dynamics. This is because China is still ready to invest a lot in Pakistan despite the security threat and tension that exists in this region, despite a lot of rivalry in this region. The visit of General Munir is a timely affair as the regional fault-lines are yet again becoming acute, Afghanistan is becoming a hotbed of transnational terrorist, India is reshaping regional positioning and US-China rivalry is escalating.
In an environment of this nature, China requires a stable partner, a friendly state and one that is militarily sound as far as South Asia is concerned. Pakistan, on its part, is more than keen to strengthen strategic confidence with Beijing in the changing realignments around the world. The mutual dependency has not only seen the two partners engage in mutual military exercise but also see them fall in line along wider geopolitical forums like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
A Shared Security Imperative
Another area of undercurrent that is very important in this top-level interaction is the increasing counterterrorism collaboration. The mitigation strategies by Chinese are highly sensitive due to militant outfits in Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially regarding the fact that it has sensitivities of its own in Xinjiang. Beijing does not regard only the Pakistani military as an instrument in stamping out insurgencies inside its territory; it makes use of the military as the barrier to the proliferation of the jihadist networks that are destabilizing the region and endangering internal Chinese security.
The military campaigns in Pakistan such as Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad have greatly undermined the terrorist infrastructure and further efforts by Pakistan in keeping the western flank secured are at the core of the Pakistani and Chinese interests. As the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) sought to extend its control, the two nations realize the need to have a common front. The realization of the work of Pakistan Army by Wang Yi must be taken as a compliment and impetus to more cooperation.
Strategic and Economic Synchronization
The relationship between China and Pakistan is multidimensional although security is the main agenda. General Munir did not only visit on military issues. It highlighted the peripheral strategic accord between the two nations, including technological cooperation to economic integration at the regional level. As there are many problems in the Pakistani economy, the long-term Chinese investments through CPEC and through other bilateral projects ensure the satisfaction of economic stability since there is no other source that can lead to economic stability in Pakistan.
The fact that China renews any support to the economic sovereignty of Pakistan whether by conducting any debt relief negotiations or currency swap agreements further enshrines them inter dependent strategies. Pakistan is at the same time an ally that can offer to China dependable partner ready to share its multipolar vision and non-western patterns of development.
