Introduction

Sino-Pakistani relations have become one of the most relevant topics in the International Relations of Asia. Their importance lies in Beijing’s commitment to invest vast political and economic capital in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an infrastructural investment in Pakistan’s energy and transportation network. What happens in Pakistan, the country where the ‘Belt’ meets the ‘Road,’ is therefore an important indicator of wider regional trends across the more than 60 countries that have endorsed China’s global ambitions. Pakistan’s relationship with the United States has waxed and waned over the years, and Islamabad’s relationship with neighbouring India, Afghanistan and Iran has been consistent in the deep-rooted conflict and mistrust, which characterised Islamabad’s role within, and relations with, its region. In all this, China stands out as a positive exception. What explains this continuity? This chapter introduces the main argument presented in the book and provides an overview of the ensuing parts of the manuscript.