Home TRENDING ISLAMABAD NOT PUSHED TO CHOOSE BEIJING OR WASHINGTON: US

ISLAMABAD NOT PUSHED TO CHOOSE BEIJING OR WASHINGTON: US

ISLAMABAD NOT PUSHED TO CHOOSE BEIJING OR WASHINGTON: US

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WASHINGTON:
The United States said on Wednesday that it does not expect Pakistan to choose between the United States and the People’s Republic of China, despite the fact that it welcomes the staff-level accord between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a vital $3 billion stand-by arrangement.

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller. PHOTO: US State Dept

In his daily press briefing in Washington, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller assured reporters, “Our support for Pakistan’s economic success is unwavering.”

When asked about the United States’ part in securing the $3 billion deal for Pakistan, he provided the following response.

Miller responded to the reporter from a private Pakistani television channel by saying, “We will continue to engage with Pakistan through technical engagements and continue to strengthen our trade and investment ties, all of which are priorities for our bilateral relationship.”

Khar supports ‘balanced’ ties with the West and China.

Miller added, “We believe Pakistan has a lot of hard work ahead to be on a long-term, sustainable, path to economic recovery and prosperity.”

Miller responded to a question about Federal State for Foreign Affairs Minister Hina Rabbani Khar’s comments in a recent interview, in which she indicated that Islamabad had no appetite to select a side amid the escalating global rivalry between Washington and Beijing.

Khar, in an interview with the American news outlet POLITICO, had voiced Islamabad’s fear about the consequences of a full-scale rift between the United States and China. She was worried that Pakistan would be forced to make an unfavourable strategic choice between the two options.

She warned that the idea of the globe being divided into two blocs posed a serious threat. The decoupling is a major cause for concern for us.Anything that drives a wedge between people.

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Miller calmed fears about the US posing such a choice by saying, “The US does not ask Pakistan or any other country to choose between the US and the People’s Republic of China, or to choose between the US and any other country.”

Miller remarked, “Our relations with Pakistan [were] built on our close people-to-people ties, and we will continue to seek ways to expand our partnership and economic ties.”

“Our economic cooperation with Pakistan reflects our vision for the region as one comprised of independent, strong, and prosperous nations,” he added, emphasising the importance of maintaining respectful and cooperative ties with Pakistan.

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