China and Pakistan hail ties amid possible Iran breakthrough
What are all-weather strategic partners for?
On May 25, Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing.
Some context: China and Pakistan have a complicated relationship.
- Pakistan is one of only a handful of China’s “all-weather strategic partners.”
- But frequent terror attacks on Chinese nationals and projects in Pakistan strain cooperation at the practical level.
However, in recent weeks, Pakistan has demonstrated its utility to China in another way – by working with Beijing to get the US and Iran to negotiate a peace.
ICYMI: Pakistan, in consultation with China, has played a major role in facilitating US-Iran talks.
- Despite being acknowledged as crucial to discussions by Iran, China has not sought to publicize its involvement in talks, crediting Pakistan with major breakthroughs.
Xi expressed appreciation to Sharif for “demonstrating a proactive spirit and mediating for peace to return to the Middle East” (MoFA 1).
Separately, Pakistani Defense Chief Asim Munir told top diplomat Wang Yi that “an agreement is close to being reached” (MoFA 2).
- Wang was chuffed, calling Pakistan a “credible and trustworthy mediator in the eyes of all parties involved.”
Aw, shucks!
Get smart: If the US and Iran manage to negotiate an end to the war, China may take its collaboration with Pakistan as a template for resolving future global crises.
- The model enables Beijing to play an important behind-the-scenes role while keeping its hands relatively clean should negotiations go awry.