A History of Pakistan-China Relations 1973-2013 Reappraisal

Abstract

The study investigates the China-Pakistan relations in historical context applying into the theoretical framework of power transition theory in general and hard and soft power theory specifically and its implications on foreign policy of Pakistan. In fact, since the inception of Pakistan, Pakistan had always been in search of security because of its geo-strategic situation and external pressures. Further, the study addresses that how the international scenario and outward dynamics affected foreign policy of Pakistan. For example, during the Cold War era and USSR war in Afghanistan because of bipolar dimensions across the World, Pakistan had to tilt towards Western allies to protect state sovereignty and maintain the integrity of its citizens. One thing that proved very true that Pakistan always desired to join those allies who always committed to preserve state from external enemies. The study spotlights that how the changing global episodes since the event of 9/11 altered Pakistan’s foreign policy choices. Meanwhile, Pakistan decided to strengthen its ties with rising power of China. Despite Pakistan’s constant contribution in the war on terrorism, it had been considered as a state of ‘safe Haven’ for terrorists and did not able to attain the confidence of its Western allies. By the times, Pakistan’s overseas strategy slanted towards the Chinese foreign policy goals of influencing the World with the image of a soft power. Likewise, the social and cultural relations enabled to gain the psychological confidence of Pakistan and its people by enhancing people to people relations. The dissertation draws extensively on the declassified official records to prove the theoretical and empirical contribution of this study that how far bilateral and political relations turned the shape of economic to geo-economic and taking the U-turn from geo-economic to geo-strategic ties between both states in the 21st Century.