Not terrorist groups but Pak-China strategic relations is cause of friction in Pak-US ties: RT
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MOSCOW: Experts in an interview with RT revealed that the true reason for fallout between Islamabad and Washington is not related to terrorism, but rather to the growing influence of China in Pakistan.
In recent years, Beijing has been increasingly influencing the regional alignment of forces. It is this expansion of Pakistani-Chinese contacts that allows Islamabad to pursue a more independent policy toward Washington.
The US seems dissatisfied with this growth of Chinese influence in the region especially against the backdrop of the escalation of the Sino-US contradictions over the disputed islands in the South China Sea, North Korean issues and also on trade and economic issues.High stakes for economic boost
As part of its “One Belt, One Road” project Beijing is pumping $55 billion into its neighbor: Pakistan is building power plants, roads and railways to give its infrastructure a much-needed upgrade.
According to The Financial Times, estimates from the Pakistan Business Council suggest the projects could account for 20 percent of the country’s GDP over the next five years and boost growth by about 3 percentage points.
“Preconditions for fallout between the United States and Pakistan existed for a long time,” political analyst Boris Volkhonsky said in an interview with RT.
“Islamabad has long and steadily reproached with Beijing and now it is China that is becoming the main investor in connection with the construction of the Sino-Pakistani economic corridor.
And this, of course, does not suit the US at all – this is the real cause of friction, not Islamabad's policy in Afghanistan,” Volkhonsky said.
