Pakistan ‘strategic partner’ of US, says State Department

The United States has reaffirmed that it values its relationship with Pakistan, emphasising that there is no requirement, as far as Washington is concerned, for 'other countries to choose between the US and China.' The Islamabad-Washington ties came up when State Department's spokesperson Ned Price was asked to comment on the Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks that China and Pakistan are closer than ever due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ineffective policies. “I’ll leave it to the Pakistanis and PRC [People’s Republic of China] to speak about their relationship. I certainly won’t endorse those (Gandhi’s) remarks,” he said as the reporter asked if the two countries became closer because “they feel abandoned” by the US. Also read: PM Imran departs for four-day visit to China “We’ve made the point all along that it is not a requirement for any country around the world to choose between the United States and China,” he added. Price went on to say that “it is our intention to provide choices to countries when it comes to what the relationship with the United States looks like.” He further said, “And we think a partnership with the United States conveys a series of advantages that countries typically would not find when it comes to the sorts of partnerships that the PRC has sought to have around the world.” The spokesperson added, “Pakistan is a strategic partner of the United States. We have an important relationship with the government in Islamabad, and it’s a relationship that we value across a number of fronts.” Also read: Khan’s Beijing visit and Pak-US relations Earlier today, Prime Minister Imran Khan departed for a four-day visit to China with a delegation of ministers accompanying him. The premier is set to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and with those interested in investing in Pakistan. He will also meet investor delegations. Officials said the visit is also aimed at sending a message to China’s adversaries that Pakistan stood behind its “all-weather and time-tested friend”.

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