South Asian Geo-Politics from the Prism of Pak-China Relations
Dr. Adam Saud
Bahria University, Islamabad
Kinza Arif
Independent Researcher, Islamabad
Abstract
With the emergence of non-state actors, South Asia regional significance has augmented. The dynamics of the region were already governed under the shaky foundations due to declared nuclear status of Pakistan and India. However, growing Sino and US interests have shifted the dynamics of the region in divergent strands; where one promotes economic integration while the
other calls for defensive up gradation measures. The very element calls for the development of alliances of different natures. To focus on Pak-China relations, despite belonging to different cultures and belief systems, both states have enjoyed strong bilateral relations. They are a clear challenge to players such as the US and India. This article is steered towards addressing the ever changing dynamics of South Asia via providing a qualitative analysis. The ambition is to unravel the steering objectives of this alliance and address the potential challenges of the upcoming future. This research has tried to answer the following questions. What is the geo-political importance of South Asia? Which regional and extra-regional powers have geo-political and geo-strategic interests in this region and how their interests converge and diverge with each other? The relations amidst Pakistan and China have been investigated under the realist paradigm; under application of Balance of Threat Theory. Regional integration in the form of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC) is analyzed through the lens of Theory of Complex Interdependence. Research is based on qualitative methodology having secondary sources. It is interpretive, and critical in nature.
Keywords: Pak-China Relations, Regional Integration, Geo-political, South Asia
