Research on Humanities and Social Sciences www.iiste.org ISSN (Paper)2224-5766 ISSN (Online)2225-0484 (Online) Vol.4, No.22, 2014 184 A Study of Pakistan-China Defense Relations (2000-2012) Ahmad Waqas Makhdoom 1* Abdul Basit Khan 2 Mazhar Abbas Khan 1 1.M. Phil Scholar, Department Of Political Science & International Relations,Government College University, Faisalabad. Punjab, Pakistan 2.Lecturer, Department Of Political Science & International Relations, Government College University, Faisalabad. Punjab, Pakistan E-Mail:Bluemaw05@gmail.Com;Basitniazi@Yahoo.Com ;Mazharmagsi81@gmail.Com Abstract Pakistan and China have cordial bilateral relations right from the very beginning. Pakistan being the most significant Muslim country located at a geo-strategically important geological juncture and equipped with nuclear deterrent while China being the most emergent economic and technological giant have remained the focus of attention for regional and international political actors. Owing to the strategically complex regional location and the obvious involvement of major political actors of international community herein, both countries have to strengthen the mutual defense ties. Both countries are currently working jointly in all fields related to defense including nuclear cooperation and development of conventional and non-conventional weaponries.Gawadar Port is a geo-strategically important project which is being developed jointly by both countries. The said port and the respective region are constantly under attack by the countries which do not want Pak-China collaboration to flourish. In the context of War Against Terrorism, it is quite significant to examine the quantum of defense collaboration between both countries to conclude that whether Pakistan-China defense relations have been affected by the said war positively or negatively. The present study finds that in spite of various hurdles being present between both countries to improve their geostrategic relationship; both are still managing to strengthen their bilateral defense collaboration. Keywords: Pakistan, China, defense, geostrategic, relationship, War Against Terrorism, HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Pakistan was one of the few countries of the world which recognized an independent China at a very early stage. On May 21, 1951, the two countries officially established diplomatic relations. However, in the initial phase, both countries did not have much cordial relations because Pakistan slanted towards Western Block due to SEATO and CENTO (Amin, 2010). Bandung (Indonesia) Conference of 1955 provided both countries an opportunity to expand their bilateral relations but some later events disturbed it. The said events included the arrival of Hajj Mission in 1959 from Taiwan (Ibid), proposal of common defense to India by President Ayub (Sharif-al-Mujahid, 1964) and border clashes between Islamabad and Bijing in Hunza sector in summer of 1959. (Sharma, 1967) Besides, the McMahon Line boundary conflict was at the heart of relations between China and India. (Global Security, December 16, 2013) There were two main reasons of the said conflict: the territorial dispute over Aksai Chin (Kashmir) and Arunachal Pradesh (the disputed area is almost 90,000 squire kilometre) and Indian assistance to the exiled Dalai Lama rule of Tibet. (Chu, April 01, 2007) China-India war of 1962 and border accord amid Pakistan and China in 1963 consequently started a new era of strategic cooperation between the two countries. (Choudhry, 1975) In February 1964, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai visited Pakistan and, in turn, President Ayub Khan visited China in December of the same year. The bilateral relations strengthened during the visit of President Ayub to China. (Bhutto, 1967) India attacked Pakistan in September 1965 wherein China openly supported Pakistan against India not only diplomatically but also supplied weapons. After the war, defense collaboration started between two countries. (Hussain, 1974) During the war of 1971 with India, China again supported Pakistan and supplied weapons to her. (Nixon, 1972) On request of Pakistan, it used the veto power for the first time in order to block entry of Bangladesh into United Nations. (Ibid) At that stage, the defense cooperation between two countries was restricted to a relatively small scale. The cooperation reached to a higher level when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto became the new President of Pakistan who paid his first foreign visit to China which boosted the relations of both countries. According to Bhutto, the visit enhanced the cooperation between two countries in all sectors. (Bhutto, 1977) DEFENSE RELATIONS (2000-2012) An Overview of the Current Bilateral Diplomatic Ties On April 5, 2005, Islamabad and Bijing signed “Treaty of Good Neighborliness and Friendly Collaboration” which stated “each Contracting Party shall not join any alliance or bloc which infringes upon the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the other Contracting Party, nor shall it take any action of this nature including the conclusion of treaties of this nature with a third country”. (Dawn, April 06, 2005). On the same day, both