The U.S. government recently imposed sanctions on Chinese companies allegedly supporting Pakistan's ballistic missile capabilities, reflecting an extension of the ongoing U.S.-China geopolitical rivalry. While these measures may jeopardize Pakistan's broader defense initiatives, they could also indirectly push the country closer towards China.

Tumultuous developments in Pakistan have created a less welcoming environment for foreign aid, as China’s generous investments into Pakistan seem to have come to a grinding halt.

Recent spats between Pakistani and Saudi leadership may cause a rise in Chinese power in the region. With interlocked interests of oil, infrastructure, and loans between these three nations, China and Saudi Arabia will likely remain on top, while Pakistan’s interests are left unfulfilled.

Newly-appointed Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has two realistic options: to further inflate the country’s Chinese debt, or to look to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout for the 15th time since the 1980s. Both options have serious drawbacks.

As Pakistan’s new prime minister takes the reins of power, he will be forced to adapt to his country’s shifting relationships with two world powers: China and the United States.

More often than not, the start of the new year is marked with a sense of hope and renewal, a chance to learn from the previous year’s trials and transgressions, a chance of getting things right the next time around. However, if the world has learned anything during the last year that the Trump Administration has been in power, it is that hope, renewal, and learning from past mistakes seem to be far from the top of the administration’s New Year’s resolution list.

It’s no secret that Pakistan and China have recently strengthened their long-standing relationship. With preparations for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor well underway, ties between Beijing and Islamabad seem to be stronger than ever. According to a senior economist in Karachi, “As the U.S. looks inward, China is reaching out.”

Cooperation needs to be based on common goals and interests, as well as mutual respect and understanding, rather than rude accusation and coercive pressure.

The US is suspending security assistance to Pakistan in a move that confirms the Trump administration’s harder line towards what it views as one of its most uneven allies.