The economic strategy "One Belt, One Road" led by China. The development plan in Pakistan and the remarks made by the top of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are a bit controversial. "The United States and India are colluding and interfering with the CPEC," Pakistan's Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Khalid Mansour said at a CPEC meeting. Mr Khalid accused the United States of attempting to move Pakistan out of the Belt and Road Initiative. While CPEC is an important part of the Initiative, it also faces many challenges. It can also have a major impact on the whereabouts of the US-China conflict. (Photo quoted from Yahoo’s image)

Pakistan was once the largest US ally in South Asia. Pakistan's biggest enemy, India, is a member of non-aligned nations and was close to the former Soviet Union, so the Cold War structure and regional conflicts brought them closer together. Pakistan's Islamist tendencies were also favorable to the United States, which seeks anti-communism.

During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan at the end of 1979, taking advantage of its position as a neighboring country, it greatly contributed to the anti-Soviet activities of China, which was in conflict with the United States and the Soviet Union, as a gateway, supply base, and training base for Islamic mercenaries. However, as the Islamists who once supported them now turn to the United States, a gradual gap with Pakistan, which hides and uses them, has begun to blow.

Bin Laden, who was sought after by the United States, was proudly settled near Islamabad. During the Trump administration, The US government suspended huge amounts of military aid, claiming they were "supporting terrorists killing US soldiers." Pakistan's shadow also flickered in the recent Taliban control of Afghanistan.

As the United States continues to negotiate with Pakistan regarding the use of airspace for operations in Afghanistan, there are circumstances in which the relationship cannot be easily broken. Apart from the United States, Pakistan has for many years built a friendly relationship with its neighboring country, China, which is also described as an "old friend" because of the conflict between India and Pakistan.

Until recently, relations with China were not something that the United States was concerned about, but with the rapid rise of China and revealing its ambitions overseas, the United States also bitterly said that it was an alliance between China and Pakistan. They are starting to think.

The United States is also in close proximity to India, which is suffering from Chinese pressure, and India is participating in a strategic framework called QUAD, in which Japan also participates. As the Cold War structure collapses and conflicts become more complex, the above mentioned statement means that Pakistan is also becoming the forefront of the US-China conflict.

Many of Pakistan's Belt and Road Initiatives, such as the seaport Gwadar and mines, are located in Balochistan. Balochistan was annexed to Pakistan when India and Pakistan became independent, ethnic problems were smoldering. In recent years, as China began to focus on development in Balochistan, a structure was created to suppress the Baloch people together with the Pakistani federal government, and problems such as the frequent occurrence of Chinese attacks became complicated. With the rise of the Islamic State in Baloch Iraqi Syria and the increased support of its ally Turkey, the United States deepened its alliance with the Kurds fighting them.

The Kurdish problem, which was being forgotten, suddenly attracted the attention of the world, and the Kurds hold the key to stability in the Middle East. It is hard to say that the baroch problem was recognized in the first place before it was forgotten, but it has created an opportunity to appeal to the world as a force to resist counterterrorism and China's aggression.

Balochists in the United States are urging the US Congress to put pressure on Pakistan. On the other hand, the Balochs are said to be less cohesive than the Kurds. Whether Balochs can be players in the US-China conflict is up to them, but we also need to recognize that the Baloch issue is growing in importance.

Roni Namo

Ethnic writer living in Tokyo. Since he encountered the Kurdish problem while attending college, he has continued to cover and analyze political movements of ethnic minorities, mainly Kurds. He was taught Kurdish  by Kurds and is probably the only Japanese who can use Kurdish. He has completed the translation of a Japanese novel into Kurdish (unpublished). Currently focusing on learning Arabic. He has also learned Persian and Turkish. He is training to become a multilingual journalist.