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PaperclipPerfector  11d ago (text post)   1035 thread views

Transnational Thursday for April 24, 2025

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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Pakistan's best friend (China)

Why is China Pakistan's best friend? They oppress their own Muslims quite brutally, and generally have zero tolerance to any ideology that can compete with the Party. Do they just think they own Pakistan as a counterweight to India and a stepping stone to dominating Asia, and Pakistan is happy to be owned?

China is fine with nation-wise oppression of minorities. They have no issues with oppression of Muslims in China, Hindus in Pakistan or the Chinese in Malaysia.

Second, the Muslim identity is primarily an Arab identity. East-Asian and great-lake-African muslims are oppressed all the time, and global Islam does not care. (note: North African islam is not the same as Subsaharan islam). These are the Muslims that matter to other muslims.

Do they just think they own Pakistan as a counterweight to India

Yes. It's less friends, and more that Pakistan is a client state of China. Pakistan is Turtle to China's Vince.

and Pakistan is happy to be owned?

No, but what option do they (Pakistani Army) have ? IMF isn't giving new loans anymore. Even the Saudis stopped giving freebees. Big daddy China is all that's left. Anything to be in opposition to India.

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