Pakistan Could Make or Break America’s South Asia and China Strategies
As U.S.-China geopolitical competition intensifies it would be appropriate to ask what role Islamabad’s deepening ties with Beijing may end up playing in it, and how an improved U.S. relationship with Pakistan could minimize any negative impact on American interests.
The United States seriously needs to rethink its Pakistan policy. China’s greater involvement there may advance Washington’s own interests as long as the United States also remains engaged. In sum, Washington’s Pakistan policy should reflect a South Asia strategy that balances U.S. geopolitical competition with China, regional interests, and bilateral relations because all are interlinked.
Touqir Hussain a former Ambassador of Pakistan and Diplomatic Advisor to Prime Minister is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asia Studies, National University of Singapore.
Image: Reuters.