Private Roundtable Discussion with Andrew Small
MUMBAI, 20 November, 2015 - The Asia Society India Centre welcomed Andrew Small, Transatlantic Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the United States in a conversation centered around his outstanding new book 'The China Pakistan Axis: Asia's New Geopolitics'. The discussion explored the relationship between China and Pakistan; a relationship that has had a deep impact on the Pakistan government's relationship with its internal Islamist insurgency, and the effect of this relationship on India and politics within the region.
Small started his discussion with a brief background on how the relationship between Pakistan and China has developed; India was a strong facilitator and played an integral role on encouraging the relationship between the two countries. Now the relationship between China and Pakistan stands on their own and plays a central role in Asia's geopolitics. China sees Pakistan as great economic hope, and a trusted geo political partner. Pakistan is the battleground for China's encounters with Islamic militancy and the heart of its efforts to counter-balance the emerging US-India partnership.
We can see China's economy is growing through three factors interior provinces, markets,and making companies more independent. Stating a facts Small said "Sixty-six billion investment is coming from China into Pakistan, whilst 6% comes from on ground economic activity." The relationship between the two has been flourishing since 1962, however since 2008 terrorism in China and Pakistan alike have increased raising political tensions. Combatting terrorist activity and violence has now become a high priority in the political agenda of the Chinese. Discussing China's plan in an event of a crisis involving nuclear weapons he clarifies that "China is willing to help Pakistan defend a Pakistani bomb. We won't help them protect an Islamic bomb".
There are numerous challenges that have risen in the last decade to affect the relationship, will China respond by distancing themselves, as India might hope, or will they deepen their engagement with China? The discussion was concluded with engaging questions from the audience, but not before he addressed Beijing's support for Pakistan's nuclear program, and how China is dealing with the Taliban.
Reported by: Maneka Chotirmall, Programme Assistant, Asia Society India Centre.
This discussion is a part of Asia Society's BASIC series. The BASIC series presents intimate, invitation-only breakfast round tables that bring together eminent speakers from the fields of Asian business and policy. This represents the kind of informed forum, nuanced insight and new connections that Asia Society aims to bring to bear around key topics of relevance today.
In Partnership With: