Finance
According to a Pentagon report, China relies on Pakistan to project its military and economic might because Islamabad remains a key Beijing ally.
The Department of Defense’s China Military Power 2022 report, released in Washington, examines how China plans to achieve its “national rejuvenation” goal by 2049 with the help of international partners such as Pakistan, according to Dawn news.
According to the report, China considers Pakistan to be its sole “all-weather strategic partner,” with Russia serving as its sole “comprehensive strategic partner with coordination relations.”
China has strengthened ties with both of its historical partners, Pakistan and Russia, over the last five years. Pakistan is also likely to have been “considered as a location for military logistics facilities” by China.
According to the report, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is linked to pipeline and port construction projects in Pakistan.
However, with the assistance of these projects, China “hopes to become less reliant on transporting energy resources through strategic choke points such as the Malacca Strait.”
According to Dawn news, Beijing also tries to use the relationships it builds through BRI to pursue additional economic cooperation with participating countries.
It recalled that in 2021, a suicide bomber targeted a workers’ bus on its way to a BRI infrastructure development project in Pakistan, killing 10 Chinese nationals and injuring 26 others.
According to the report, China used the incident to “extend its ability to project military power to safeguard its overseas interests, including the Belt and Road Initiative, by developing closer regional and bilateral counterterrorism” cooperation with Pakistan.
The report, which examines China’s growing military and economic cooperation with Pakistan, notes how Beijing assisted Islamabad in completing the in-orbit delivery of the Pakistan Remote-Sensing Satellite, according to Dawn news.
China also vigorously pursues its policy of providing military aid, including military equipment donations, to BRI host countries’ security forces.
The report cites joint military exercises as an example of China-Pakistan cooperation. It mentions that China participated in a joint naval exercise with Pakistan in 2020-21, as well as supplying strike-capable Caihong and Wing Loong Unmanned Aircraft Systems to Pakistan.
China also supplied major naval vessels to its partners, with Pakistan purchasing eight Yuan class submarines for more than $3 billion in 2015. According to the report, China sold four naval frigates to Pakistan in 2017 and 2018.
Source:IANS
