Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, has expressed concern over the potential impact of a new Cold War between China and the United States. In an interview with Politico, Khar emphasized that Pakistan, as an all-weather ally of Beijing, does not want to be caught in the middle of a binary strategic choice between the two global powers, as PTI reported.
"We have a history of close collaboration with the US, and we have no intention of leaving that," Khar stated. "However, Pakistan also has a close collaborative relationship with China, and until recently, that was always the case." She expressed apprehension about the world being split into two blocs, emphasizing Pakistan's concerns regarding further division and decoupling.
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The interview took place prior to US President Joe Biden referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a dictator during a recent political event in California. Beijing swiftly responded, criticizing the remarks for contradicting facts and violating diplomatic etiquette.
Politico highlighted a leaked memo from April in which Khar reportedly cautioned that Pakistan's focus on preserving its partnership with the US could harm its "real strategic" alliance with China. While she declined to comment on the leak, Khar expressed optimism about continued American power, suggesting that the US should not be overly fearful or defensive about maintaining its global leadership position, particularly in areas such as healthcare, technology, trade, and climate change.
