Carnegie Endowment Events

The China-Pakistan axis plays a central role in Asia’s geopolitics. For decades, each side has been the other’s only “all-weather friend,” but their relationship is still little understood. Andrew Small’s new book, The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia’s New Geopolitics, explains the ramifications of Sino-Pakistani ties for the West, India, Afghanistan, and Asia as a whole. It sheds light on the relationship’s most sensitive aspects, including Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s nuclear program, China’s dealings with the Taliban, and the Chinese military’s planning for crises in Pakistan. From China’s involvement in South Asia’s wars to the Obama administration’s efforts to secure Chinese cooperation in stabilizing the region, Small traces the dilemmas Beijing increasingly faces as it pursues its strategic rivalry with India and the United States, while addressing a terrorist threat that has become one of the gravest dangers to China’s internal stability.