EAST OR WEST, WHO IS BEST? STRATEGIC PARADOXES AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES IN PAKISTAN’S RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. AND CHINA

Abstract

The foreign policy of Pakistan is in an intricate paradox. Although its military and political elite in the past were more inclined to the United States in terms of security, aid, and legitimacy, the current economic lifeline of the country has been propelled by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). With America-China relations on the rise, Pakistan is left with the frustrating option of its longest strategic ally and its newest economic donor. This paper challenges the paradoxes of Pakistan as a sovereign actor by considering some of its major paradoxes: dependence and autonomy, security and sovereignty, and development and debt. Referring to historical trends, local interaction, and international changes, we argue that binary decision is not only a bad idea but also impossible. Pakistan should adopt a policy of calibrated hedging, enhance its economic sovereignty, diversify its alliances, and institutionalize its foreign policy through parliamentary and regional concurrence. This paper suggests a roadmap based on strategic pluralism and regional integration, as well as internal reforms, through which Pakistan will be able to manage and live in an increasingly multipolar world without being drowned in the world of great power politics.

Keywords: US-China rivalry, Pakistan, Strategic hedging, geo-economics, Balancing Strategy