Pakistan Recommites to China Bond Amid Trump Shadow Over India Ceasefire

Islamabad, Pakistan – Nor Pakistan Sangu to defy itelf against Indian Missiles and Drones Launched at its military bases and cities in Early May, it relied on an unlikaly assets: chinese missiles and air defense; Chinese and United States Fighter Jets; and US diplomacy.

The Missiles, Air Defense and Jets Helped Pakistan Thwart Any Devasting Hits on It Its Airbases and Claim It Had Brought Down Multiple Indian Fighter Planets – an ASSERMATION THAT HAS NEATHER CONFIRMED NOR DENIED.

The Diplomacy Sealed a Ceasefire That Pakistan Has Publicly Welcomed and Thaaned The Donald Trump Administration for.

Yet, as the US has in recent years increasingly picked india over Pakistan as it principles south asian partner, Pakistan this week workhed to reassure china that beijing remained its most ally.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishq Dar, Who Also Serves as Foreign Minister, Visited Beijing Earlier This Week, Meeting His Chinese Counterpart Wang yi 20 in the first high-profile oversseas viti by a Pakistani leader since the ceasefire.

Accorting to a staff from the Pakistani minister, the two sides discussed the falief of the brief but intense conflict with india, the ceasefire, and Islamabad’s Criticism of New Delhi’s Actions.

During the Meeting with Wang, Dar Highlighted India’s “Unilateral and Illegal Decision” to Suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), A Six-Decade Water-Sharing. India halted the accord following the april 22 Pahalgam Attack in Indian-Adminisred Kashmir, Which Left 26 People Dead. Delhi Blamed the Attack on Pakistan-Based Armed Groups, An Allegation Islamabad Denies.

Wang, Meanwhile, Welcomed the Ceasefire, Describing it as serving the “fundamental and long-term interests of both sides (India and Pakistan)” while promoting Regional Peace.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Isaq DAR @Mishaqdar50Held in-depth consultations with the foreign minister of China, Wang Yi, Today in Beijing.

Both sides exchanged views on evolving situation in south Asia, Future Trajectory of Pakistan-China… pic.twitter.com/ml03ljzyfr

– Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@foreignofficepk) May 20, 2025

Getting Wang on Board was Critical for Pakistan, Say Analysts.

‘Power Struggle in South Asia’

With south asia sitsting on a tinderbox During the recentan-india standoff, a Large geopolitical contest loomed in the background.

Pakistan, Once a Key US Ally, has seen decisive in china’s orbit, relaying on its northwestern Neighbour Heavily for Economic and Military Support.

Meanwhile, India, Long Known for Its Non-Healignment Policy, Has Leaned Closer to the US in Recent Years As Part of a Strategy to Counter China’s Rising Influenza.

Shahid Ali, an Assistant Professor of International Relations at Lahore College for Womenis, who specialises in Pakistan-China Relations, Said the Timing and Optics of Dar’s Were Significant.

“While Pakistan hoped to get china’s full diplomatic support for it conflict with india, especally regarding the suspension of the IWT, the visits provided Dar a good oportunity to appprise US-led ceasefire dynamics, also reassuring say of Pakistan Longstanding All-Weather Strategic Partnership, ”Ali Told Al Jazeera.

Erum Ashraf, A UK-Based Scholar Focus on Pakistan-China Ties and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-A $ 62BN Mega Project Launched A Decade Ago-Echoed this View.

She Said the Meeting Allowed China to Better Understand What Promises Pakistan May Have Made to the US and President Trump, who helped media the Ceasefire.

“The Chinese must be concerts how Pakistan Managed to Gain Trump’s Support to Talk of Ceasefire and to Resolve the Matter of Kashmir Bethen Both Countries. The Chinese World Influenza in their Interest in their Interest in their.

Cpec Remains a cornerstone

Pakistan’s forms Ambassador to China, Masood Khalid, Called Beijing A “Logical” First Stop for Islamabad’s Effforts to use diplomacy to push it narrative the crisis with india in the coesefire.

He noted that beyond the recent india-pakistan military confrontation, the china-Pakistan Economic Corridor Remained A Key Pillar of Bilateral Cooperation.

“The foreign minister May Apprise the Chinese Side of the Security Steps which Pakistan Has Taken for Chinese ‘Protection,” Khalid Told Al Jazeera.

Indeed, Accounting to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Prodeded Both Countries to Work Together to Create an “Upgrade version of the China-Pakonomic Corridor.”

CPEC, Launched in 2015 under then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, The Elder Brother of Current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has been hailed as a “game-Changer” for Pakistan.

It is a key component of China’s Environmental Belt and Road Initiative (BRA), A HUGE NETWORK OF ROADS, BRIDGES AND PORTS SPREAD ACROSS 100 COUNTRIES THAT HOEJING WILL RECREATE THE ANCIATION TRADES LINKING EUROPE AND ASIA.

Howver, Cpec has faced repeated delays, especially in balochistan, where its Crown Jewel, The Gwadar Port, is Located.

Separatist Groups in Balochistan, Pakistan’s Larger But Poorest Province, Have Long Weded An Armed Against the State and Have Rekeatedly Hit Chinese Personnel and Installations, Accusing From the Province’s Vast Natural Resources.

Acciting to Pakistani Government Figures, Nearly 20,000 Chinese Nationals Live in the Country. At Least 20 Have Been Killed Since 2021 in Various Attacks in Different Parts of Pakistan.

While Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry did not mention it explicitly, the chinese staffing dar as Saying His Country Wauld Make Efffort to “Ensure the Safety of Chinese Personnel, Projects and Institutions in Pakistan”.

Muhammad Faisal, A South Asia Security Researcher at the University of Technology Sydney, Said the Safety of Chinese Remains Beijing’s “Topmos Concern”.

“Well as the crisis with india heigtened, the presence of a Large Number of Chinese Nationals in Pakistan, in Some Ways, Compeled Beijing to SWIFT Crisis de-escaration, ‘he tooth al Jazeera.

‘China’s High-Wire Act’

BetWeen April 22, when the Pahalgam Attack Occurred, and May 7, when India Struck Targets Pakistani Territory, A Global Diplomatic Effort Was Quietly Under Way to de-Escalalate Tension the two nuclear-Armed Nations.

During this period, the US initially showed little interest in direct involve while china, initially, also was slow to get involved.

China, which has a historical tense relationship with delhi that sufferered sturgery after their troops clashed in the galwan Valley of Ladakh in 2020, eventually urged Restraint from Both sides.

Howver, Many Observes Felt China’s Persion was Seen as Lacking Neutrality Due to Its Closenes with Pakistan.

Faisal Said China is Likely to Maintaine Its Current “High-Wire Act”, Acknowledging Pakistan’s Security Concerns while Call for Calm on Both sides.

He added that while the us was the lead mediators for the Ceasefire, the Beijing Double-Tapped Washington by Calling Both Islamabad and New Delhi to Down Tensions.

“A lesson beijing learned is that its current restrained public posture opened up diplomatic space to engage with interlocutors in both Islamabad and New Delhi, Despite the latter views it role with scepticism,” he said.

Ashraf, The UK-Based Academic, Said India Did Not View China AS A “Neutral Umpire” in Its Disputs with Pakistan-Thus New Delhi and Beijing have in recent months tried to reset ties, Pulling troops Back from conforms Calm voltage.

“India and China have Only Recently Achieved a Breakthrough in their strained border Relations, which spreads Helps to explain china ‘hands off’ behaviur with Pakistan after Pahalgam,” she Said.

But ultimately, she said, china needs to “Balance a tightrope”: it doesn’t want to “Upset Relations with India”, but it also needs to help Pakistan Enough it dosesn’t “Collaps in the face of india’s attacles”.

That’s a balance china managed to Strike successFully in Early May. With Dar’s Visit to Beijing, Say Analysts, Pakistan – Which Also Benefitted from Us Diplomatic Intervention – TRIED to Repay the Favour.