Political Tug-of-War: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the Crossfire of the US-China Rivalry

Abstract

In the post-Cold War era, China’s emergence as a major economic and military power prompted the United States (US) to recalibrate its strategic priorities, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is a key point of contention. The US perceives CPEC as a danger to its regional influence and economic interests, alleging that it advances China’s hegemonic ambitions through unfair financial practices. Therefore, this qualitative study examines the intricate relationship and the rivalry between the US and China on CPEC through the lens of Realism and Hegemonic stability theory (HST). It investigates how US counterstrategies and regional alliances, particularly with India, aim to challenge CPEC’s progression and China’s growing footprint in South Asia. The article argues that the US sees CPEC as part of China’s expansion, which diminishes the hegemony of the US. The research contributes to a deeper understanding of the power dynamics surrounding CPEC and offers insights into how this rivalry shapes the broader geopolitical landscape of South Asia.