Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has affirmed that China remains Islamabad’s most reliable ally, dismissing concerns that recent engagements with the United States could jeopardize the decades-long partnership.
Speaking to British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan, Asif emphasized that Pakistan’s ties with China are “time-tested since the late 1950s”, adding, “China is not worried about our flirtations or whatever you call it.”
Asif highlighted that around 80% of Pakistan’s military hardware over the past four years has been sourced from China, including submarines, planes, and other critical arms. “China has been a very reliable provider of arms of all kinds to us… They are reliable and they are our neighbours. We share borders and we share the geography,” he said.
On Pakistan’s engagement with the US, Asif described the relationship as “transactional or flirtatious”, noting that while Islamabad has pursued deals involving minerals and crypto with Washington, these moves do not threaten its strategic alignment with China.
The interview also touched upon broader defence and diplomatic issues, including the recently concluded Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, which formalises mutual protection against aggression, and the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The comments came a day after US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir at the White House. During his UNGA address on Friday, Sharif praised Trump, calling him a “man of peace” and even nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize for his alleged role in brokering a ceasefire with India—claims India has clarified were managed directly by military officials.
Despite these US engagements, Asif reiterated China’s centrality in Pakistan’s strategic calculus, underscoring the reliability and proximity of the Beijing-Islamabad partnership over all other options.