THE Chinese like to call Pakistan an ‘iron brother’. This is a glowing tribute to a neighbour that has stood with them through thick and thin. Pakistanis also hold China in high esteem, as a neighbour that has respected their core concerns and interests. Even when Pakistan was closely aligned with the West, China enjoyed a special place in its foreign policy.
No doubt, the two countries’ ‘all-weather strategic cooperative partnership’ has endured the test of time. However, at times, we tend to go overboard in describing this relationship. For instance, referring to the latter as a relationship ‘made in heaven’, or telling the Chinese that we trust them ‘blindly’, is a notch higher than the oft-used ‘higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the ocean, sweeter than honey, and stronger than steel’.