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[QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 62508, member: 636"]
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif acknowledged his nation maintains stronger ties with Beijing than Washington during a recent interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan in New York. Asif stated that defence cooperation with China continues to expand because of what he described as unreliable support from the United States. His comments emerged while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and General Asim Munir met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Sept. 25.

The minister emphasized that Pakistan's relationship with China dates back to the 1950s, and he praised Beijing as a dependable supplier of military equipment. Asif said the country cannot maintain strategic futures with both Washington and Beijing simultaneously. Pakistan faces economic challenges and domestic unrest while navigating tensions between American and Chinese interests in the region.

China has invested heavily in Pakistani infrastructure projects, but Beijing expressed concerns after several Chinese workers died in attacks. Western financial institutions have provided Pakistan with economic assistance as the country struggles with mounting debt. Asif previously criticized Western nations for abandoning Pakistan after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in the 1980s.
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