Pak-China Strategic ties worrying US-India: Russian Media
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The United States is "seriously concerned" about the growing alliance between Pakistan and China, prompting Washington to make a "big bet" on India, says Vzglyad, a Russian online newspaper.
"Washington is seriously concerned about the strengthening of the core China-Pakistan in the Asia-Pacific region," says the newspaper.
"Growing Chinese activity in the Asia-Pacific region and Central Asia against the backdrop of the loss of influence on Islamabad makes them do a big bet on India. That they see it as the main counterweight to China and the deterrent factor."
An increasing Chinese presence, according to the newspaper, in the Asia-Pacific region in general and in Pakistan in particular has prompted Washington to "actively" increase its "military cooperation with New Delhi".
The newspaper says that Islamabad's fallout with Washington in recent times "allowed China to take their niche, significantly strengthening its influence in Central Asia".
This strategic Sino-Pak alliance, it says, and the ever-increasing defence cooperation between the two countries have become a sign of concern for New Delhi.
"The planned opening of China's military bases in Pakistan actually closes the ring of Chinese bases around India. In Delhi, a growing fear that the strengthening of cooperation of Beijing and Islamabad, especially in the military sphere, may result in their aggression against India."
Islamabad considers China an "all-weather friend" and in recent years the countries have grown even closer on the back of the $57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a Beijing-funded network of road, rail and pipelines that will link western China with Pakistan's Arabian Sea port of Gwadar.
The armies of the two countries have in recent years increased cooperation. A 90-member Chinese contingent participated for the first time in the Pakistan Day parade in Islamabad on March 23.
