Consistent Xi vs oscillating Trump — and Pakistan

Consistent messaging inspires confidence and evokes respect. Self-respect enables you to talk straight. True national pride and a commitment to the country empower you to take the bull by the horn – without fear or favour. This also helps in articulating your priorities – regardless of what the other side thinks. This is what President Xi Jinping did to his American counterpart in their phone call on February 4. The same day China's Ambassador in Islamabad, Jiang Zaidong delivered another example of the typical Chinese candour and clarity. Let us first turn to the Xi-Trump phone call.

"It is always right to do a good thing, however small, and always wrong to do a bad thing, however small," Xi said in what came across as a tutorial in morality and politics. Wrong doesn't become harmless just because it is small. Principle decides the right or wrong not the size of it. Corruption, cruelty, injustice, lies, selfish conduct are all immoral – however small.

Xi's guarded talk was an indirect recall of some of the bitter realities the world has witnessed since the return of Donald Trump to the White House – multiple violations of the WTO rules by the US since April last year (unilateral tariffs), breach of the United Nations Charter in January 2026 (Venezuelan President Madura's abduction and seizure of that country's oil assets), and US withdrawal from dozens of international organisations.

These unilateral actions are fundamentally at odds with China's worldview (multilateralism, win-win cooperation) and approach to inclusive global governance. And hence President Xi invoked the "good, bad, however small" analogy.

Through this phone call, the pluralist, modest David (Xi) tried to inject sense into the power-intoxicated Goliath (Trump). "China must safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never allow Taiwan ("China's territory") to be separated. The US must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence," underscored the Chinese president. "If the two sides work in the same direction (taking care of each other's concerns) in the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit, we can surely find ways to address each other's concerns."

Xi urged Trump to "follow the common understandings we have reached, enhance dialogue and communication, manage differences properly ... find the right way to get along ... and make progress step by step to build mutual trust".

President Xi also hoped to "steer the giant ship of China-US relations steadily forward through winds and storms," together with his US counterpart to "accomplish more big things and good things".

Does this relate to Pakistan in any way? Probably yes because courage, clarity, commitment and integrity of the statecraft constitute leadership's conduct as a whole.

A similarly emphatic message rang out at an Islamabad University also when Ambassador Jiang Zaidong recalled the "Shanghai Spirit" – mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilisations, and the pursuit of common development – as the guide for sovereign equality and dialogue, advocating mutually beneficial cooperation and openness.

The ambassador reiterated that the "Shanghai Spirit" born 25 years ago opposes bullying and coercion, and serves as an effective remedy for promoting democracy in international relations and resisting hegemony and power politics.

On the occasion, Ambassador Jiang Zaidong also proposed that "Pakistan-China should serve as a model of bilateral trust, consolidating the foundation of a shared future."

Interpretation of this point – whether addressed to Pakistanis or not – may be open to speculation, but one could possibly make an informed guess as to what may have prompted the Chinese envoy to speak of "model of bilateral trust". Yet the immense intensity of present Pak-US relations and unavoidable doublespeak by Pakistan's top leadership seem to drive a sense of frustration and uncertainty among our friends. All foreign missions do watch, read, listen to and analyse what our leading lights, like General Bajwa, Asif Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and their political poodles, say on different occasions. The dichotomous positions by these leaders on various issues – Taliban, foreign relations, the "internal" view on the US establishment, the role of the military establishment – are all part of the public record. Avowed foes of yesteryears are now posing as the best cohorts of today, driven more, it seems, by expedience and self-preservation than by a rational rethink of their views in the past.

Integrity and trust appear to be the direct victims of leadership's paradoxical character and the unmistakable absence of consistency. Little surprising that despite all the feel-good narratives being built through Gallup, the country is mired in a credibility crisis – evident also from the UAE's demand to return its $2 billion safe deposit. A rollover for a month only? What does it signify?

Trump is now out to balance competition with China with the practical need to stabilise economic ties and avoid escalation, especially as other Western partners pursue their own engagements with Beijing. As for India, Trump has moved from sharp tariff threats and friction to a far more cooperative trade posture in 2026, underscoring the importance of keeping the fourth largest economy economically linked to Washington even as New Delhi maintains strategic autonomy.

Ruler of the superpower – Donald Trump – can get away with summersaults as and when his interest dictates. He owns the dollar-printing cellars and is literally answerable to none at the moment. But those dependent on the sweet will and handouts of others can hardly afford to be seen being duplicitous.

Can economically struggling nations such as Pakistan afford such a transactional approach, focused more on keeping Washington off the neck than on a strategy designed to take the country out of its multiple crisis?