‘Iron brothers’: How China and Pakistan built an unlikely 75-year bond
Summary
China and Pakistan have maintained a 75-year diplomatic relationship, marked by cooperation and shared strategic interests. In 1963, Pakistan transferred a large area of disputed territory to China, reinforcing their partnership, which is celebrated today with official events and discussions of ongoing cooperation.Key Facts
- In 1963, Pakistan gave China control over the Shaksgam Valley, a 5,180 square kilometer area Pakistan did not fully control and which India claims as part of Kashmir.
- The land transfer followed China’s victory in a border war with India in 1962.
- Pakistan and China consider their relationship as very strong, often calling it “iron brothers” and an “all-weather friendship.”
- Pakistani officials recently marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties with China and passed a resolution reaffirming this friendship.
- Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled for a state visit to Beijing in late May 2024.
- The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a major infrastructure project linking the two countries, relies on the Karakoram Highway completed in the late 1970s.
- Their alliance is influenced by shared strategic interests rather than close cultural or ideological similarities.
- The relationship includes sensitive issues like an unofficial nuclear agreement and cooperation on diplomatic matters, such as the 1971 conflict.
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