China-Pakistan Strategic Alliance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70670/sra.v4i1.2138Keywords:
China, Pakistan, Strategic Alliance, CPEC, South Asia, Geopolitics, Belt and Road InitiativeAbstract
The China-Pakistan strategic alliance represents one of the most enduring and significant bilateral partnerships in contemporary international relations. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1951, both states have developed deep cooperation in political, military, economic, and strategic domains. This alliance has evolved from a limited diplomatic partnership into a comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship shaped by regional security concerns, geopolitical interests, and economic interdependence (Small, 2015). The relationship gained greater significance after the Cold War and particularly in the twenty-first century through projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which became a flagship initiative of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) (Wolf, 2020). This paper critically examines the historical evolution, geopolitical foundations, economic dimensions, security cooperation, regional implications, and future prospects of the China-Pakistan strategic alliance. The study argues that the alliance is driven by mutual strategic interests, balancing regional power structures, particularly India’s growing influence and the United States’ strategic presence in South Asia (Pant, 2017). Despite challenges such as regional instability, economic dependency concerns, and international pressure, the alliance continues to strengthen due to converging strategic objectives. The paper concludes that the China-Pakistan partnership will remain a crucial determinant of regional geopolitics in South Asia and beyond.
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