ISLAMABAD: The ongoing battle on trade tariffs between the United States and China is being viewed as a boon in disguise by India's neighbour nation Pakistan.
“The rising tension between the US and China over trade tariffs is a good sign for Pakistan as 'it would place us in a better negotiating position,'” the advisor to Pakistan Prime Imran Khan, Razaq Dawood, was quoted as saying by several news outlets of the country on Wednesday.
The trade war between the US and China have been escalating over the last few months with both the countries imposing tariffs on each other.
“The prime minister (Imran Khan) is visiting China on Nov 4 and we will take advantage of this situation by pitching our position as a trade partner,” Dawood said while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production.
Pakistan also wants China “to raise the imports from Pakistan to at least $2bn.”
Imran Khan-led Pakistan government is currently mulling over renegotiating the agreements under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and renegotiate a trade pact signed with Beijing a decade ago. The country feels that the agreement "gives undue advantages to Chinese companies."
Pakistan has been trying to deepen ties with China in recent years as relations with the United States remain on tenterhooks.
The Trump administration has been upping the pressure on Islamabad to stop supporting terror outfits and froze military aids in the past year.
Beijing, on the other hand, pledged to invest about $60 billion in Pakistan for infrastructure for the Belt and Road project.
Over the last few months, work on several projects which are part of the CPEC has been stalled in Pakistan because of financial constraints. According to Pakistan-based Dawn News, the National Highway Authority in the country is under financial crisis and hence the work on several projects has been stalled.
