Pakistan at the Crossroads: Navigating CPEC, China-US Rivalry, and a Multipolar World
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijgsr.v3i7.35Keywords:
Multipolar World Order, Geopolitics of Pakistan, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China-US RivalryAbstract
The emerging world order is moving towards a multipolar dominated world with the emergence of China, revival of Russia, and the fading out of Western domination. This development has had tremendous impacts on local powers such as Pakistan whose geopolitical significance is given impetus by its strategic position at the intersection of the South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. This paper will look at the geopolitical imperative of Pakistan in the new multipolar world order and how it is placed in the escalating China-US battle together with its participation in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The research will use a qualitative research design comprising a literature review, case study and document analysis based on theories of international relations like realism and complex interdependence by analysing the manner in which the geography and economic relations of Pakistan serves to enable it to wade through intricate global power politics. According to the findings, CPEC not only improves the Pakistani relations with China in terms of its economy improving its strategic importance but it also exposes Pakistan to difficulties in maintaining its traditional relationship with the United States. It is hard to determine the impacts of this change of order to other regions of the world and also the global geopolitical trends in the 21st century without understanding the positioning of Pakistan within with this change
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