Pakistan can act as ‘bridge builder’ between China, US: Bilawal

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Pakistan can serve as a “bridge builder” between China and the United States amid growing global tensions, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said during the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Speaking in an interview with Deutsche Welle, Bilawal highlighted Pakistan’s historical role in fostering dialogue between Beijing and Washington.

“If you want to put us in a camp, we would like to see ourselves as bridge builders,” he said, adding that Pakistan aims to bridge gaps rather than deepen divisions.

Bilawal described former US president Donald Trump as a “deal maker,” suggesting that Pakistan could engage with the US on key regional challenges under his leadership.

He also stressed that Pakistan seeks better ties with India despite regional rivalries, cautioning that US support for India as a counterweight to China could fuel an arms race.

Bilawal noted Pakistan’s stable ties with China but emphasised that the country must remain connected to the broader world.

Last year, Pakistan’s Foreign Office reiterated that relations with China and the US were equally important, rejecting zero-sum diplomacy.

On security, Bilawal linked Pakistan’s current challenges to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, which he said empowered militant groups such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Daesh.

He highlighted Pakistan’s past success in countering militancy and called for political consensus to tackle the issue.

Pakistan had played a pivotal role in establishing diplomatic relations between the United States and China in the early 1970s, acting as a key intermediary.

In 1971, Pakistan facilitated secret communications between the US and China. Then President Yahya Khan served as a conduit between US President Richard Nixon and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.

Pakistan arranged a clandestine visit for US National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger to Beijing in July 1971. Officially, Kissinger was on a trip to Pakistan, but he feigned illness and was quietly flown to China from Islamabad.

Kissinger’s visit paved the way for President Nixon’s groundbreaking trip to China in 1972, marking the beginning of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Pakistan’s role was crucial due to its friendly ties with both nations at the time, earning the country significant diplomatic goodwill from both the US and China. This triangular diplomacy also helped Pakistan strengthen its international standing, especially as it navigated regional challenges with India.