 "(File) Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets Chinese President Xi Jinping during his two days visit in Beijing on 2 November, 2022. Reuters")
It was on 21 May 1951, that the ground for the 73-year-old, “all-weather” friendship was sowed. Amid the backdrop of a rapidly evolving global political landscape following World War II and the onset of the Cold War, China and Pakistan formally established diplomatic relations marking the beginning of a significant and enduring partnership.
Founded in 1949, the People’s Republic of China was solidifying its position in Asia, while Pakistan, as a newly independent state since 1947, sought to diversify its foreign policy and establish a broader range of international alliances.
Pakistan’s decision to recognise the PRC early was strategic, reflecting its desire to balance its relations with India and to secure regional allies. For China, establishing ties with Pakistan was part of a broader strategy to gain regional allies and counterbalance the influence of United States and Soviet Union in Asia. This relationship quickly evolved beyond diplomatic exchanges to include significant economic, military and infrastructural cooperation.
Syed Ali Nawaz Gilani expressed in Pakistan Today that within international relations there is a thread characterised by profound solidarity and trust. He mentioned that Pakistan and China, connected by an unbreakable bond, serve as evidence of the enduring strength of friendship amid the turbulence of global politics.
Intensifying defence collaboration
A report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute revealed that from 2019 to 2023, China supplied 82 per cent of Pakistan’s arms imports. This period saw Pakistan’s arms imports increase by 43 per cdent compared to 2014-2018, comprising 4.3 per cent of global arms imports and positioning Pakistan as the fifth largest arms importer worldwide.
In March 2024, Indian customs officials intercepted a Malta-flagged merchant ship carrying a computer numerical control machine from China to Pakistan, which could be used to manufacture nuclear and ballistic weapons. Following this, in April, China commenced production of Hangor-class submarines for the Pakistan Navy.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe Pakistan Air Force already operates Chinese-made JF-17 and J-10 fighter jets and is set to receive Shenyang FC-31 Gyrfalcon fifth-generation fighter jets. China’s FC-31/J-35 programme aims to offer a cost-effective alternative to the US-made F-35 and advanced European fighters. Additionally, Pakistan’s arsenal includes Chinese-made K-10C Firebird fighters.
The robust China-Pakistan defence relationship is largely fuelled by their anti-India approach.
Growing debt challenge
Despite their “all-weather” friendship, Pakistan’s financial obligations to China have reached $26.6 billion. According to the IMF, Chinese loans constitute 23 per cent of Pakistan’s total foreign debt.
On 17 May, 2024, reports indicated that Pakistan was considering a five-year extension for $15.5 billion owed in the Chinese energy sector. The CPEC launched a decade ago, includes 21 Independent Power Producer projects in Pakistan: eight coal, four hydroelectric, eight wind and one transmission line. Pakistan’s financial difficulties are so severe that the IMF has recently suggested imposing a tax on monthly pensions exceeding Rs 100,000.
Practically speaking, China is more focussed on salvaging its own economy rather than being concerned about Pakistan and it is determined to recover every penny it has lent. There is little doubt that this financial strain brings to the fore the complexities and challenges within the China-Pakistan economic relationship.