Strategic Balancing In A Shifting Order: Pakistan’s Relations With The US And China After The 2021 Afghan Withdrawal

Abstract

This Research work explores the balancing act that Pakistan had to play between the United States and China after the U.S. left Afghanistan in the year 2021. The change in the geopolitical position of Afghanistan with the Taliban returning to power is a major issue in relation to the foreign policy of Pakistan since it now has to find complex relationships between the two powers. The paper asserts that Pakistan has pursued a hedging policy, trading its past relationships with the U.S. - especially the counterterrorism and security relationships - and its increasing economic and military relationship with China. Among the major elements of such a balancing approach, [1]the paper identifies the economic returns of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the deepening military relationship with China, and the obstacles highlighted by the persistent security anxiety of Pakistan, in particular their relations with Afghanistan. The paper also assesses the stability results of the foreign policy of Pakistan by paying particular attention to the role of strategic choices made by the country in influencing its South Asian standing. To sum up, the study recommends that despite the fact that diplomatic flexibility gives Pakistan a distinct edge, the increasing power of China and the changing U.S.-Pakistan relations pose serious problems that are bound to form the future strategic orientation of Pakistan.