The first half of the twentieth century was the most eventful period in modern history. The First World War marked the end of the era of empires when the Ottoman Empire collapsed, and many new nation-states emerged from it. The Red Revolution of 1917 put an end to the era of Russian Tsars. By the first quarter of the 20th century, the remnants of medieval power structures were relegated to the echelons of history. The new power structure of Western countries led by Britain and Communist countries led by the Soviet Union began to take root.
World War II ended the distortions in the global system. Germany, Italy, and Japan fought against the continental Western powers for dominance and had initial successes until the USA and Soviet Union were dragged into the protracted war. The entry of these powerful countries eroded the final remnants of medieval times, the British Empire, and a new era of Cold War and superpower rivalry between the USA and Soviet Union began. It was in this environment that a country named Pakistan came into being in 1947 as a result of the partition of British India. China gained independence in 1949 under the leadership of Chairman Mao.
The early years of Pakistan-China relations were the 1950s and 1960s when the basic foundation of the greatest strategic partnership of the 21st century was laid. Pakistan was one of the earliest countries to recognize China on October 4, 1949. Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 21, 1951. Pakistan was one of the earliest non-communist countries to do so. In that period, Pakistan’s foreign policy aim was to establish relations with China to counterbalance India. China’s strategic objective was to seek allies among newly independent countries belonging to the non-communist bloc. Pakistan took the bold step of preferring China despite being a US ally.
The Bandung Conference of 1955, held in Indonesia, was a watershed moment in the earlier period when Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Bogra met Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. In those days, Pakistan was part of SEATO and CENTO alliances, yet it maintained neutrality towards China. The 1962 Sino-Indian War further strengthened the ties between Pakistan and China. India’s ambitions and hostility towards both countries helped persuade the leadership of the two countries to work on a larger framework of cooperation.
The most significant event of this era was the signing of the Border Agreement on March 2, 1963. It was signed by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Chen Yi, Foreign Minister and Vice Premier of China. Starting from the tri-junction of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China’s Wakhan Corridor to the Karakoram Pass, the agreement demarcated a 2,050 km border between Gilgit-Baltistan and Xinjiang Province. The Shaksgam Valley, an area of 5,180 square kilometers, was ceded by Pakistan to China. In return, China relinquished its claim on 1,942 square kilometers of the Oprang Valley. This agreement was made subject to the final resolution of the Kashmir dispute, and both countries will renegotiate the border once the Kashmir issue is resolved. Through this agreement, China stabilized its western border, retained the critical Aksai Chin area, and secured friendship with Pakistan. Pakistan gained China’s support on the Kashmir issue, which proved crucial in later decades.
In this early period of bilateral relations, since both countries were developing, economic ties were limited. During peak years, the volume of trade was between 10-20 million dollars. China and Pakistan used barter trade to counter the paucity of foreign exchange in both countries. However, China supplied Pakistan with military aid in the form of small weapons and ammunition after Western countries imposed an arms embargo on Pakistan during the 1965 India-Pakistan War.
Pakistan and China achieved strategic convergence against India to counter its regional ambitions. The strong diplomatic trust between the two neighbors was evident, especially after the historic visit of Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai to Pakistan in 1964. China’s ideological alliance with the Soviets and Pakistan’s partnership with the USA were limiting factors, yet the leadership in both countries was able to navigate the tight diplomatic rope successfully during these years. The pragmatism prevalent in the policy discourse of both countries helped lay the groundwork for a great partnership in the years to come.
