Kim Jong Il visits China

Unless Im mistaken while America does place chosen countries under its nuclear umbrella, when Pakistan asked China for the same, it was turned down.

bladerunner said:

Unless Im mistaken while America does place chosen countries under its nuclear umbrella, when Pakistan asked China for the same, it was turned down.

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Actually if you look at it this way, if Pakistan really asked China this, and China turned it down, there are quite alot of reasons behind that decision:

1) Technical restriction. As much as many would have love to deny this, but China technically is still not really up on par with US. She did not really have a very effective nuclear umbrella like US. Heck... her usable nuclear missiles are limited (just enough to give her a nuclear deterrence, but not to protect her allies).

2) Political restriction. If she agreed to placing Pakistan in her nuclear protection, it would maybe give rise more to the China threat theory (since Pakistan is well known to be a terrorists producing nation). And spark an arm race in Asia, which will ultimately give rise to reasons for US to increase their presence in that area.

3) Alot of the nuclear defence umbrella that US deployed to "protect" her allies are actually done by deploying missiles and defensive systems in that said country. Actually that is a very costly way of doing things, and if Pakistan actually invited China to do that, it would mean to position her missiles inside Pakistan... India would sure to make noise, and even invite US to enter India so as to have the missile positioned there. So not a wise move if China actually agreed.

plawolf said:

I think you are greatly underestimating the trust and goodwill China has built up with the people of Pakistan. Pakistan may be courting American money and technology, but they have learnt through bitter experience how relations with Washington are based solely on leverage. Pakistan's relationship with China is based on trust, loyalty and mutual respect. Qualities America has never displayed with any other country.

In a contest to choose between the two, its really a no contest.

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My view is that it is no longer so clear cut.

Prior to 9/11 US didn't have much influence in the Indian sub-continent, Pakistan was firmly in the China camp, and India was trying to stay in the Russian camp. Since than, Pakistan and India has moved closer towards US (relative to pre-9/11).

Another factor is the India-China relations. Post-62, China was a strong supporter of Pakistan following the Sino-Indian War (enemy of my enemy is my friend). Since the thawing of Sino-Indian ties in the mid-90s, and the rapid growth of Sino-Indian trade, Pakistan is getting a little bit worried that the Chinese are shifting closer towards India. Furthermore, China is no longer backing Pakistan's claims to the disputed territories between Pakistan and India.

These 2 factors alone would give Pakistan due pause in considering the current, complex web of state-to-state relations.