US must understand the sensitivity of Pak-China relations. It cannot afford to both a rising power and a medium power in the region. The insensitive blame game will hurt US interests in the region. Both China and Pakistan if properly managed and diplomatically handled can bring about changes that will not only promote US interest in the region but the world order that it wants to promote and create.
War of words is going on, the relations between two were sour six months back but this is new height of threat. The relations deteriorated sharply under Donald Trump whose administration launched trade war against China and banned US companies selling of equipment to Huawei and imposed visa restrictions on Chinese nationality students. But year 2020 saw both countries taking steps to improve the relations and once again entered in to trade deal. As we all know that Donald Trump is most unpredictable and is always difficult to guess his game plan. He has criticised WHO and said it is China centric and biased towards emerging superpower. He further added that over the year’s one can see the bias towards China. It is very strange as the death toll in US increases his criticism against China also increases, and continues to name it as “Chinese virus”, thus prompting Beijing to retaliate. Tensions continue souring amid corona virus pandemic. However in April, top officials in both countries change their tones by highlighting areas of cooperation amid the crisis. But Trump continues to blame WHO for being biased towards China and stops funding to the organization. Chinese government announces it will expel at least thirteen journalists from three US newspapers-The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. The Chinese foreign ministry says that it is in response to US governments decision earlier in the year to limit the number of Chinese Journalists from 160 t0 100.
China in spite of wild accusations by Donald Trump is also undermining his own intelligence agencies by suggesting he has seen evidence corona virus originated in a Chinese laboratory, whereas US intelligence director said it was still investigating but the office said it had determined that Covid-19 was not manmade. China has rejected the lab theory and criticized the US response to Covid-19. Since the outbreak of the virus it has killed over 230000 people worldwide including 67000 in US. On a question asked by reporter from Trump asking him”Has he seen anything at this point that gives him a high degree of confidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the origin of this virus”? The President replied yes I have Yes I have and I think the WHO should be ashamed of them because they are like the public relations agency for China. Rather a very harsh remark.
It is not a rocket science to know why Trump is doing all this, as we know this is election year and therefore he is playing politics to keep his voters happy and put pressure on China which is least bothered and playing cards very intelligently without showing any anger whatsoever. It is turning in to a cold war like situation.
President Xi Jinping was in constant touch with the world leaders and they all appreciated the support extended to China in this most difficult time and China remained in forefront to extend any type of help to combat Covid-19 and ultimately world is witness that China managed to control this deadly virus in shortest possible time. It is difficult to have an ideal situation anywhere in the world. China perhaps is the most leading country to extend help to many countries to fight corocavirus that has been highly appreciated by world community. China has helped WHO and provided them with testing kits, masks and special dresses to doctors and Para medical staff to attend to corona virus patients freely and without any fear of being infected. Italy was badly hit special teams were despatched along with necessary equipment. Chinese’s businessman also contributed substantial aid to many countries. China at all time tested friend, brother has come in a big way to help Pakistan in this difficult time and has extended help beyond our expectations and still doing it. China is the second largest economy of the world and super military power in its own region the only competitor of US. Their technological advance in strategic areas like 5 G and artificial intelligence gives edge over others and is a great force to reckon with. Who so ever wins US election China shall play dominant role in foreign policy and US will have to work with China in a friendly manner
US look at China as resurgent power that will be its only competitor in all the domains in the coming decades. China is an economic power and unlike US has demonstrated no military ambitions. Its interest are locked in the Asia pacific where it executes ‘Anti Area Access denial” policy which means it will not allow its interests there (South China Sea, Taiwan, Xingiang, Tibet etc) to be compromised. US have executed its pivot Asia policy seeks to directly confront China. China will reach out to the world with its BRI and hence create political space for itself. US thinks China wants to replace it as the world power but China only wants to displace it from areas of its interest.US-China rivalry will be the strategic story of 21st Century.