The Pakistan Army held a grand ceremony on Friday at the 98th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Through the event, the deepening defense partnership between Islamabad and Beijing was clearly displayed. The ceremony was held at a time when US President Donald Trump announced a 19% unexpected tariff on imports from Pakistan. The decision came immediately after the new trade agreements between Washington and Islamabad.
Let us tell you that in the ceremony held in GHQ, the Pakistan Army made its strategic stance clear. Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir hosted Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong and PLA’s defense briefcase Major General Wang Jhong. The ceremony included military honors, exhibitions of joint defense equipment and clear political messages. Munir called the PLA and the Pakistani Army as “Iron Brothers”, describing Pakistan-China relations as “a symbol of mutual trust and shared destiny”.
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Munir’s message was clear that Pakistan would not leave its long-standing alliance with China, amidst transaction-based relations with the US and domestic economic crises. If seen, between the strict conditions of the IMF and the uncertain sources of Western funding, Islamabad feels more secure in standing with Beijing. By addressing the “Iron Brothers” with PLA, Army Chief General Asim Munir made it clear that the defense and economic alliance of Beijing-Islamabad is the backbone of Pakistan’s security and development policy.
On the other hand, the ceremony proved to be a diplomatic victory for China. Between increasing competition with the US in the Indo-Pacific sector, a deep grip on an atomic rich aide in South Asia strengthens the regional appearance of Beijing. The ceremony held at GHQ had a clear political support for China’s role as primary defense and development partner in Pakistan. It is clearly seen that despite American support, Rawalpindi is unaffected. In the era of changing global alliances, Pakistan has bet on stability with Beijing rather than uncertainty’s uncertainty stance. This is a bet that can change the regional power balance in the coming years.
However, Pakistan’s presence as a permanent and deep ally in South Asia gives advantage in the balance of global power against the US. The GHQ ceremony has given a message that China’s influence is permanent in Pakistan’s defense and development policies. If seen, this is a matter of concern for India. The deepening coalition of China and Pakistan can make the regional power balance more complicated.