The U.S. Navy SEAL raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and Islamabad's subsequent turn toward China have highlighted one of the most remarkable legacies of the Cold War: the persistence of a strategic triangle composed of China, Pakistan, and the United States. Throughout much of the Cold War, China and the United States competed to keep Pakistan within their particular sphere of influence, while Pakistan deftly took advantage of the subtle power struggle to improve its security profile vis-a-vis India. Despite persistent competition, the nations of the strategic triangle enjoyed three major convergence points: (1) the 1969–71 period, when Pakistan acted as a conduit for secret talks between Beijing and Washington, which subsequently led to mutual coordination during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war; (2) the decade following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979; and (3) the years following the 9/11 attacks in the United States, when global focus turned to Afghanistan and terrorism. This third c...

The China–Pakistan–United States Strategic Triangle: From Cold War to the “War on Terrorism”

This article argues that the so-called Chinese string of pearls policy needs to be examined from the perspectives of those small countries of this maritime region that are said to be supporting Chinese strategic interests in the region by providing naval bases to China. Bangladesh neither has compelling strategic reasons to be part of an anti-India policy nor is its economy dependent only on the Chinese economy—a situation which could have pushed it into such a strategy. Therefore, apprehensions of the Indian strategic community of Sino-Bangladeshi relations constituting a larger anti-India design are somewhat misplaced. Bangladesh is likely to continue to pursue a policy of making best of its relations with both countries, even though an anti-India bias in certain sections of Bangladeshi society and politics will persist. In the post-Cold War, countries are focused on how to reap the dividends of economic globalisation and such hostile policies are anachronistic and counterproductive especially from the ...

China–Bangladesh Relations: Acquiring a Life of their Own

In the prevailing geopolitical environment, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the new addition with hopes of exploring new horizons in economic cooperation and expected to have regional and global geopolitical implications Strategic thinkers, policy-makers, and scholars have heralded CPEC as a magnificent trade and investment project of future geopolitics Yet many analysts have raised their eyebrows about the USA and Chinese competition ultimately seeking robust security and economic strategy by China and Pakistan to avoid Indo-US designs The objective of this study is to focus on the all-weather relationship, which China and Pakistan are enjoying with shared goals and interests in the region This article focuses on the China and Pakistan relations while keeping in mind the emerging strategic partnership of the United States with Pakistan’s belligerent neighbour India through a neo-realistic perspective focused on structure and anarchy in the international political system

Understanding pak-china relations through cpec: geostrategic implications for south asia

Aim of the paper is to discuss the Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement and to analyze the factors responsible. In 1960, Pakistan put forward its offer to China for border demarcation. The Chinese Government did not respond to the Pakistani offer. China was working hard to persuade India for the border settlement. But when the hopes for the Sino-Indian rapprochement failed, China asserted for negotiations with Pakistan. China was also motivated by the concept that the Western powers might manipulate the situation between the two countries and could assert pressure on Pakistan’s decision making process which would bring hostilities between the two countries. If China would more delay its border negotiations with Pakistan, the US wishes might come true and a permanent stalemate in relations could persist in future. As long as Pakistan was dependent on the US for its military and economic needs, it seemed difficult to get closer with China and negotiate for a border demarcation. Despite the opposition of India and the US, both Pakistan and China demarcated their border and signed a boundary agreement.

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Pak-China Boundary Agreement: Factors and Indian Reactions

The paper analyzes that after decades of bitter relations, both China and India now see each other as an opportunity rather than a threat. It has been observed that mutual suspicion remains on a variety of geostrategic and security issues, making both wary of each other’s economic and military growth. However, driven by the changing international trends, India and China recognized the need to cooperate in the long-term interest of global and regional peace and stability as well as for their own economic prosperity. Methodology used in this paper is descriptive and analytical, as to describe the developments and then analyze in the context of reasoning. It is concluded that driven by converging interests in significant areas, the two countries are surely to avoid direct and open conflict. Thus, the foundation of process of rapprochement is laid down and convergence of interests would outweigh their differences.

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Ramakant

Papers

China and South Asia