Let’s be practical, please
Countries maintain relations with other states not because they feel any emotional compulsion but to protect their interests. It would only be irrational to consider that any state generally, and powerful states particularly, would just be friends with you because you have something in common, like a border or language. Rather it makes sense to look at states and their relations through the prism of their interests (which are mostly clouded by carefully crafted diplospeak). To be fair to foreign policy mandarins, it is the right thing to do.
Amid all the cheering for our longstanding international friendship with China and its vocal support for Pakistan’s efforts in the war on terror, we seem to forget that China also has a stake in seeing the war end and it will not go easy on Pakistan if the fallout starts affecting it in an adverse manner. In this context, the Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jeichi’s message that has asked the Pakistani military and political leadership to take it easy against the Americans makes sense. The message was supposed to be a secret one but some media outlet got a hold of it somehow. The fact that this message contains sentiments antithetical to China’s public posturing doesn’t come as a surprise to the diplomatic community as they know that most of the deals are finalised behind closed doors while public statements are meant only for public’s consumption.
It is not like China has given us a cold shoulder; it has in fact taken a prudent approach to give us practical advice on an issue that affects China, US and Pakistan in more than one way. Beijing’s exports to the USA and its vast foreign exchange reserves have intertwined it to the US which is feeling the heat because of Pakistan’s resistance in reopening the Nato supply routes. Pakistan, on its part, is facing a severe budgetary crisis because of the US’ blockade of its civil and military aid.
This message is a fine example of a piece of friendly advice one state can offer to the other. Realistically, can we actually afford to take such a strong position against the US? If the answer to the question were an unequivocal yes, only then we could’ve continued on this collision course; but since it is not, Islamabad needs to start sorting out this mess and wear a conciliatory hat.
